The Beast Within
by tankgirly
Summary: MotB. Leela Imarr, our Knight Captain's continuous self-discovery journey after the OC.
1. Chapter 1

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter One- Inconsistencies**

_The ground was shaking violently. Ancient stonewalls surrounding them started to crumble and peel off like wet clay. Large boulders began to collapse and drop all around them. The deafening shriek from the now demised King of Shadows still echoing thick in the air. _

_Well, certainly nobody mentioned anything about this. _

Leela Imarr cursed under her breath. She dived sideways, avoided being hit by the large statue just in time. A few short stride behind her, Ammon Jerro caste another protective shield charm. Debris and stones hit the invisible barrier a few meters above.

" _I can't hold this very long, Leela. Gotta hurry!" His voice was fainted under all the commotions around them._

"_Where are the others?" Leela shouted back._

"_Somewhere, I have no idea!" The warlord barked back. _

"_Here! Casavir found the exit!" Zhjaeve's voice drifted across the thickening dust. _

_Leela gave Jerro an affirmative nod and continued moving towards the exit. Following the callout of their Githzerai companion, they carefully dodged the falling rocks, slowly moved past an archway and headed up a steep slope. _

_More stone crumbled over them. Smaller rocks began to fall through. Sweat broke on Ammon's forehead. Trembling, he caste another protective shield charm, looked like his spells were about to run out. The air genasi took a deep breath, pondering the ideas of running instead of pacing through the Vale at snail speed._

_Out of the corner of her eyes, something caught her attention. _

_A hand._

_Even through the dust and flying debris, across the opposite side of the platform, it was instantly recognizable to Leela: long, slim fingers, minor scratches and scars here and there, the same hand that ran through her naked skin, wrapped between her long, silver braided hairs, sending shivers down her spine a mere few nights ago, on the top of the Crossroad Keep's wall, under the blue moon…._

_But it couldn't be……that couldn't be right…_

"………_Bish……Bishop?" Ignored Ammon Jerro's snarled of warning, Leela dived out of the protective shield and quickly ran towards the hand. Sure enough, behind the large fallen statue, she found the dark hearted ranger, half crushed by the collapsed wall soaked in blood and very close to dead._

"_Nonononono…Bishop…" Gathered his head and gently placed on her lap, the air genasi's heart twitched. Despite his betrayal, she still loved him deeply, with all her heart and soul. _

"_What……what are you doing here? Why did you come back? You left…before the battle even began, you should had hidden in one of your save trail by now. Bishop…wake up, talk to me!" Shaking, Leela began to sob uncontrollably, pointlessly tried to wipe the blood from her lover's face. Her mind went blank, suddenly, her own survival, the collapsing Vale, no longer seemed important. _

_The seemed lifeless body beneath her stirred. Eyes flickered, Bishop murmured: "…Leela?"_

"_Thank the Gods, you are still there!" Leela exclaimed: "Don't move a muscle! I will figure a way to get you out— "_

_Bishop rose his hand and gently touch the druid's arm: "…don't. There is no point…"_

"_No, I am not leaving you, I am not leaving you here!"_

"_Go, Leela…You should go…"_

"_Did you hear me? I AM NOT LEAVING YOU!" _

_Bishop gave her a weak and twisted smile, his gathered strength once again slipping away. His hand moved from her arm to her chin, touching tenderly. _

"_Go, ladyship…I am not worth it…I do not deserve…" The ranger's voice trailed off, his eyes lingered on Leela's now tear streaked face, but no longer focus. The air genasi stared at him for a moment with disbelief before let out a heart-breaking scream. Her grips around Bishop's body tighten, holding it, dared to let go. _

"_No, no, NO! You can't go, don't you dare, Bishop! BISHOP!" _

_Above her, something crumbled down. Ammon Jerro yelled out. But she no longer heard, nor cared. _

_And then, total darkness. _

Leela Imarr flew her eyes abruptly. Suddenly gained conscious, she inhaled, gulp down the air on the top of her lung.

She soon realized she was lying flat on her stomach. The surface beneath her was rock-like and slightly moist. The air smelled damp and moldy—not exactly the atmosphere of the Vale as far as she remembered.

The druid tried to contract her finger. It was when she noticed every inch of her muscle as in pain. She wiggled a little, the tearing sensation down at her chest nearly sent her back to Abyss. She tried to recite any useful wordless healing spell from the top of her head, but out of shocking horror realizing she couldn't recall any.

Confusion started to bubble up. What was going on? Where was everybody? Where the Nine Hell was she? Well, judging by the pain she had just experience, Leela seriously doubt she was dead. But…how did she get here?

The air genasi took a deep breath, gathered strength and made another attempt to drag herself into sitting position. Almost as soon as she left her head, several voices whispered and echoed around her, followed by an invisible force pushed her back to the stone floor, at the same time, the tearing pain from her chest sending another shocks through her body in waves. Something wasn't right there. Someone wanted her to remain there, pin to the ground, in what seemed like a large chamber.

And there was another thing. The heavy feeling, used to accompany with the Silver Shard inside her body, was gone. Instead there was something, or someone within that void. Something Leela could not pin point. Careful not to stretch any more muscle, she slowly moved one of her hands upward and reached for the familiar scar on her chest. Instead of the familiar fainted old wound that had long healed, her fingertips felt some dry blood, and a rather large recent inflicted gash wound. Someone, or something, had cut open her body and removed the shard.

Fear began to creep down her spine. Where the Nine Hell was her Gith Sword? Risking her head being slammed at the floor again, Leela raised her head and did a quick scan around her. There were a few strange looking pillars around her and a skeleton nearby. But no sword, or weapons of any kind in sight. It was gone.

The druid sighed, now she was no longer sure if she was dead.

Gods, she felt hungry.

When was the last time she's eating anything?

How long would she lye here, before her internal organs started devouring themselves?

Suddenly, somewhere out of her sight, there was a faint 'puff' sound. Leela's back immediately went rigid.

Someone had just teleported themselves into this chamber. Was this person friend or foe? By the Hells, she really hoped the person wasn't any old enemy of hers. Judging by her present states, chance of her being slice in half without even able to defend herself, was pretty high.

A series of drape rubbing sound, accompanied by some thudding sounds and wing flapping noise (aye?), told Leela this person was moving towards her. She held her breath, praying whole heartily there would be a hand reached out to her instead of a cold blade slashing through her body.

The person stopped near her, bend over, whispered quietly at her ears: "Ssh..Stay still. I mean no harm. Just…stay still."

She stood up and began to murmur some incarnation. The air around Leela stirred and shifted. Voices circled her body sighed and then vanished. Suddenly the invisible hands that pin her whole body against the floor were gone.

The druid relaxed, slowly dragged herself into sitting position.

"Arh…thanks, you had no idea how good it felt!" she sighed.

"No problem!" The person stood in front of her chuckled. It was a girl, who looked a few years younger than her. She was quite beautiful—golden-shimmering-skinned, large auburn eyes and dressed in well-embroidered magenta silk robe, even with the elegant tattoo all over her bold head. She tilted her head and stared at Leela curiously, watching the air genasi carefully checked the surroundings. Not very far from her, a creature, which Leela registered was a homunculus, flapped its wings, and also squinted at her with immense curiosity.

"A Red Wizard of Thay?" Leela Imarr caste the homunculus another glance and rubbed her temple: "Wow, you don't see one of those at Sword Coast everyday…."

"You're from the Sword Coast?" The girl's face instantly lightened up: "I read about that place! They said it is the most prominent part of Faerûn! Trades, piracy, different races and all those legends! Gods, you are actually from there? What in the Nine Hells are you doing down here?"

"You tell me." The air genasi shrugged: " The last time I check I was in Vale of Merdelain, with large boulder falling over my head…. Where am I?"

"You are in the deepest part of the The Barrow."

"Wha—where?" Leela puzzled.

"It's an ancient burial mound, in Rashemen." The girl approached, bend down and gently checking the Arcane ranger: "This underground cave was full of spirits. We should not linger here long. Are you in the condition to walk?"

Leela tried to stand up, but the tearing pain from the gash on her chest once again split through her body: "No."

"Humph…where did you get those gash from…Gods, they certainly look horrible. It's a wonder how you survived…" Frowning, the girl gingerly covered her wound with her hand and murmured some carefully chosen healing spells. A shimmering blue light emitted from the tip of her finger. Almost immediately, the pain eased: "How about now?"

"Better." Staggering, but she managed to get onto her feet this time.

"Excellent." The girl's lips curled up: "Then let's go!"

"Wait, wait, wait." Leela stopped the Red Wizard as she was about to head to the exit: "Before we go, I figure you really should answer some questions."

"Did I just tell you—" The girl took a deep breath.

"Yes. But you are practically a stranger to me. As much as I am thanking you released me from being pin down on the ground and everything, I really think we should at least exchange some basic information."

"….Oh, alright." The girl stare at her for a long minute before put both her hands in the air: "What do you want to know?"

"Your name, to start with?"

"Oh, haven't I told you that yet?" The Red Wizard smacked her forehead: "Sorry, silly me! My name is Safiya. As you had already figured, I am a Red Wizard of Thay."

"What are you doing down here? Don't tell me you are taking an after-dinner stroll."

"No." Safiya laughed: "I was instructed to come down here by my mother. She wanted me to take you to Lienna in Mulsantir."

"Your mother? Lienna? Who?" Leela's eyebrow nearly arched to the ceiling.

"An old acquaintance of my mother, perhaps." Safiya frowned: "She didn't really explain to me who she was, really. All she did was asked me to retrieve you from the Barrow and take you to Mulsantir to meet this…Lienna person."

"Who is your mother?"

"My mother is Nefris. She's the head mistress of the Academy of Shapers and Binders, a relatively minor academy in Thaymount." Explained Safiya brightly.

"Gods, I am definitely very far away from the Sword Coast…." The air genasi shook her head.

"Forgive me if I am asking, but what are you doing down in the Barrow, not to mentioned this deep? This area is renown to adventures and grave rubbers. They steer clear of places like this. " Safiya's almond brown eyes looked inquiringly into hers.

"What, didn't your mother told you that?" Leela was surprised.

"N…no." Safiya shook her head, her eyebrow gracefully arched. It was when Leela noticed they were completely plucked and tattooed on: "I wondered why…humph… She gave me very little information about who you are or how did you get here, nor telling me why do I need to take you to see this Lienna person…. This is strange, very strange indeed….Don't you remember how you got here? "

"Beats me." Leela shrugged.

"Gods, with some cut that large on your chest, thought you might at least remembered something…" The Red Wizard paused and scanned around the large stone chamber: "And this place….this is actually the first time I've been here. By the Hells, look at these runes…I've never seen anything like this…" Half-dreamily, she approached the carved stone pillars nearby.

Leela loomed closer to another pillar. The carved runes seemed to glow in red under her eyes. Instinctively, she reached out her hand; her fingertips gently brushed the roughly chiseled symbol…

"No. Don't touch them! You might—" Safiya panicked.

It was too late. Leela's body stiffen. She was root at the spot. Several images zapped through the back of her mind...

i _A young boy, who glared at her with eye full of mischief, laughed and ran away…_

_A woman, dressed in red robe, looked at her in admiration and love. She stood in front of a wall. A screaming wall… _/i

"Hey, Y'alright?" Safiya's gentle pat on her shoulder drew her back to the reality: " You suddenly turned chalk white."

"…I am fine…It just…. there were some vision…" Leela shook her head. She tried to touch the rune again. The vision was gone.

"What did you see?"

"Something doesn't make any sense…" The air genasi frowned: "Are you sure you don't know any of those runes?"

"No. I don't." The Red Wizard caste another look at the pillars: "They looked….ancient. I definitely had never came across any of them in our library….. Look, we really should make haste. Whatever questions you were planning to ask, I suggest we wait until we get out of this place."

Leela agreed. They made their way towards the exit. The homunculus, who had been flapping around them but did not participate in any conversation for the whole time, suddenly squeaked, nearly sent the air genasi off the ramp they were standing on.

"Mistress, I think I hear something moving, in of the cave ahead. Lpsit and Sefi returned, perhaps?"

"I don't think so." Safiya tapped a side of her chin thoughtfully: "I sent them to find this Lienna person, just as mother asked. They could not have returned from the city this quickly.."

" Familiar of yours?" Leela grinned at the creature, which nearly toppled over with the excitement of being noticed.

"Arh…sorry. This is Kaji. Kaji, this is…?"

"Leela. Leela Imarr." The druid inclined her head.

"I am really clumsy, am I?" The Red Wizard blushed: "Been yakking with you all these time, never occurred to me I should asked your name first."

"Kaji seems…not really your usual familiar…" Leela caste a side glance at the homunculus.

"No, he's not. He's much more than that. He's….I made him from scratch, you see. I gave him names, taught him how to speak." Safiya smiled at Kaji warmly: "When you made something out of just twig and clay, they certainly means a lot more. He's more like a friend to me. A clever and eminently charming in his own way friend."

"I see."

"His linguistic is a bit off, but you can understand what he's trying to say." She gently tucked Kaji's ears: "At any rate, we really should get going. Those spirits might had been stirred and awaked as we speak. Then we really have a—" her voice was broken off by the suddenly violent ground shake.

"Oh, no." She sounded panic, colour seemed to drain from her face: "I think we've woke them up! Brace yourself. They won't let us get out of here that easily!"


	2. Chapter 2

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Two- The Spirit Wolf**

"There, you will need one of this!" Safiya slipped something into Leela's hand, while carefully peeked over her shoulder. It was a bear hide pouch. The air genasi opened and peeked inside. There were a light crossbow, some ammunition, and a short sword. Slightly disgusted, Leela pushed the crossbow aside. She had always preferred close up combat, rather than aiming their enemy at the distance. She turned her attention towards the short sword. The sword was a beautifully crafted; its thin blade glistened under the dim light. The distinctive wave patterned hilt fitted nicely in the palm of her hand.

"Drow-made." Leela carefully inspected the new weapon: "Where did you get one of this?"

"How do you know it is Drow made?" Safiya was surprised.

"…We had a shop back at the Crossroad Keep, ran by a kobold." Tentatively, the druid reached out a finger to touch the blade. It was very sharp.

"A kobold?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, you don't say. Anyway, a merchant came to our academy about a month ago." Safiya asked Kaji to keep watch for them, while busier rummaging her backpack: "Apparently he just returned from Underdark. His carriage was full of excellent Drow armour and weapons….arh, there it is" Her arms extracted and pull out a rather large glittering rock-like object. Bright blue light swirled and glowed around it, as if it was alive and breathing.

"Is this..is this what I think it is?" Leela gushed.

"Essence." The Red Wizard's eyes glittered with pride: "It is commonly used for enchantment purposes in Rashemen. This little gem here is a Water Essence. A Brilliant Water Essence to be exact. You have no idea how long does it take me to collect enough Volatile ones to come up with one of this. I wagered since you just woke up and have such an injury, you probably can't caste any decent spell to protect yourself or harm your enemy. And those spirit down here can be...rather different than whatever you've encountered so far. So I need to enchant your weapon."

"This?" Leela left the Drow made short sword in her hand.

"Yes. Can you give it back to me for a moment?" Safiya gave Kaji an encouraging wave, indicated him to keep watching, as Leela handed over the sword. Her hand once again was in her backpack, this time she fished out a deer hide, ancient looking rucksack. Very carefully, she placed the short sword and the essence inside the rucksack.

"Let's see…. which one should I caste them with…" She closed her eyes and made a scrunch up facial expression: "I think this will do."

The Red Wizard of Thay gently prodded the bag with her finger and mumbled some incarnations. The rucksack immediately shimmered with silver lights, accompanied by some cracking sound that reminded Leela the crisp thin ice on the frozen winter lake. Safiya untied the cord and peered inside the bag. The Brilliant Essence was gone.

"All done!" She announced proudly and handed back the sword.

Leela looked at the returned sword, tried to remember how her weapon looked after Sand put the enchantments on: "…This doesn't look any different."

"Oh, you will see." Safiya smiled: "Say, is it a friend of yours?" She pointed at the far corner: "It's been looking at us for quite some times now."

"Leela jerked her head up, saw a familiar shadow crawled into the light. It approached the druid and waved its pincers happily.

"Fluffy!" The air genasi was delighted: "It's good to see you! How did you find me?" she meant it. After the Vale collapsed, she assumed no one survived.

"You called a giant spider 'Fluffy'?" Safiya arched her eyebrow.

"What, what's wrong with that?" Leela glared at her innocently: "It was a cute little fur ball…with eight legs when it was a baby!"

"Arh..nevermind." The Red Wizard tried her hardest to hide her grin: "I think we better get moving before Kaji drown in his own sweat." She stood up; gently pat her robe to remove the mold and dirt. They approached the tunnel entrance on the other side of exit chamber.

"Be on your guard." Said Safiya.

Shadows lingered in the darkest spot of the caverns. Whispers echoed back and forth within the empty space. Leela narrowed her eyes, sensing the dense, stalled air swirled past them. She held her breath, withdrew her newly enchanted sword very quietly, while carefully shifted her steps forward. Suddenly, the rock wall a few stride away began to twist and came to life. They crumbled off, and instead of fell onto the ground, they remained standing. Their crystal eyes glared at the intruders with utmost anger. Fluffy next to her hissed, and clicking its pincers warningly.

"Earth Elementals." Safiya raised her staff. The tip of the weapon lightened up and sparks crackled: "Those must be the Barrow Guardians."

The Elementals growled and charged towards them, causing the ground slightly vibrate. Ignore the twitching ache coming from her chest, Leela took a few strides forward, and waved her swords. The blade quivered as it scythed the stone surface. A bright silver light followed. When the air genasi opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see the elemental was no longer moving and there were icicles poking out of its hard body.

"Well, now you know the difference." Safiya turned her head around and winked at her: "Oh-oh, looks like it took more than one slash to take it down!"

Leela sprung and leaped, sank her blade deeply into the Barrow Guardian. With satisfactory saw the giant moving rock finally collapsed into a pile of stones. Another Elemental made its move towards them. Safiya caste a Magic Missile spell. Several purple lightening arrows emitted from her staff and hit the target dead on, sending the rock giant flying and smashing against the wall. It staggered back to its feet and made another attack. This time Leela's sword blade slashed through and finished it off good and proper.

Dust and debris around them gradually settled. For a while, all they did were staring at each other, panting.

It was Safiya's face broke into a devastating grin first: "Not bad for an air genasi just woke up from the slumber and has….Gods, you are bleeding again. Those gash don't seem like healing up at all, don't they?" She pointed at her chest wound: "Humph…that's odd. My healing spell usually worked pretty well…. Well, let's see if I can find some decent Healing Potions in my pack, aye?"

The Red Wizard untied the string of her backpack, yanked it open and did a bit of rummaging around. She produced a couple bottles of clear blue liquid and pressed them onto Leela: "There, drink them. Not exactly the best quality, but these will do. We might need to have a look at it properly once we get out of this place."

They moved through a small, narrow and slippery passage, and found themselves within another large stone chamber.

"More cavern? Gods, I hate tunnels." Leela moaned.

"Thought two little Earth Elements would do the trick, aye?" Safiya chuckled: "I did say we were in the deepest part of the Barrow, did I?"

"Can't breath properly in here." Leela complained.

"Oh, I understand. You are an windsoul genasi." The Red Wizard's smiled deepen.

"Something's moving, mistress." Kaji tensed.

Leela jerked her head around, saw dim lights flickered and drifted from the shadows. Airs in the cavern began to twirl and whoosh again. It gathered around the glimmering lights and seemed gradually turning solid somewhat. Shapes started to form, soon Leela found they were staring at the pack of Telthor Spirit Animals, lead by a three-eye wolf.

"Red Wizard." It hissed. Leela noticed the wolf somehow looked different from the others: instead of the glowing, transparent, almost see through bodies, it was more stone like and shimmering in blue and purple; crystal spikes grew on its back. Patterns and symbols carved all over its body.

"There you are. Thought we smell your scent in our sleep. It woke us up." Its voice sounded compressed and echoic, as if it was talking from one end of a long tunnel.

"Who are you?" Leela queried. Her grip on the sword tightened.

"Arh..here is something from the Cavern of Runes. You came here empty handed, Red Wizard. And now you're leaving with this? " The Wolf Spirit didn't sound pleased.

"My name is Leela Imarr. What's your name, spirit? "Asked Leela again.

"Is the name really that important?" Sneered the Wolf Spirit, baring its glowing teeth: "Very well, my name is Nakata."

"Look, here is the thing." The air genasi tried to explain: "Someone, or something placed me down there. It wasn't my intention, or my idea to start with. All I want to do now is to leave here and figure out who did this, or why. We weren't meant to disturb you."

"Cha-cha…what a polite little thing! There's the problem." Nakata sniggered: "We were told things inside the Cavern of Runes…is poison. A poison at the heart of our dream…swallowing memories and names. Anything emerges from the Cave, cannot be allowed to walk free."

"Says who?" Safiya arched her fine tattooed eyebrow.

"Our god." Replied Nakata simply.

"You have a god?" Leela frowned: "What god? Perhaps if I could speak to him..."

"Speak to him? Nonono…" Nakata laughed wickedly: "The beast god slumbered above. You will never live to see him—"

_Hungry._

Something prickled at the back of Leela's neck. A fainted, barely recognised echo, raised next to her ears. The air genasi turned her head around, but saw nothing.

"Hey, what's that scent?" Distracted, the Telthor wolf suddenly seemed serious. it glared at the druid curiously.

"What? I can't smell anything?" Leela sniffed around.

_So hungry._

Here was the fainted voice again. It sounded distant, almost inaudible. Once again the druid sprung her head around and check. Still, there was nothing. _Perhaps she was imagining things?_

"Blood…humph…I smell blood…" Nakata's head tilted to one side, seemed to determine the source of the scent.

"Oh, how very amusing." Leela mocked: "Yes, you can probably see there is a gash on my chest. It's been soaking through my tunic and clearly visible on my leather. It's nothing trivial to figure what one out..."

_Feed._

The whisper sounded louder this time. Leela became slight agitated. What was it? Where was this voice come from?

"Shuush!" Nakata pawed its claws impatiently: "Your wound is mortal. What I smelled was different…it is much…much deeper… Now, surely I've seen it somewhere before….why have I not remembered this…."

_Need to Feed…now._

Suddenly, the Telthor Wolf jerked its head, something flickered through its eyes but soon replaced with immense fear: "No…You…NO!"

_Want to Feed. NOW._

At once, without warning, the strange presence Leela had felt since woken up in that chamber twisted and rose up, nearly crushed her lung into pieces.

_HUNGRY. FEED. NOW._

The air genasi's pulse quicken. Voices groaned next to her ears, louder and louder, nearly burst her eardrum. Unable to stand still, she collapsed onto the ground, writhing, both hands covered her ears and screamed helplessly as the voice within her shrieked. She could vaguely see Safiya stared at her with mixture of horror and disbelief.

_HUNGRY! SO HUNGRY! _

The presence within her stretched its way outwards and lashed itself towards Nakata the Telthor Wolf. Leela's mind suddenly went blank. Her body felted like shredded into million pieces…

_"Oi, don't tell me you just drank that!"_

"_What, but this is good stuff!" Leela grinned at the ranger in front of her._

"_Yeah, but…that's…"_

"_Arhh…I see. You've been ogling this one for quite some time, yes, Bish?" The druid waved the heavy bottle in hand: "Duncan's finest?"_

"_No…that's…" Bishop's face was crimson: "We've been down in those damn ruins for days, woman. THAT thing is the only thing that gets me moving."_

"_Awe~!" Leela burst with laughter: "Isn't it such a shame I've nearly emptied the whole bottle?"_

"_You are making fun of me, woman. Do you know what happen when you tease a Luksan ranger?" Hands rested on his slim waist, Bishop looked at the druid angrily._

"_No. Use me as archer practice?"_

_Bishop glared at the air genasi for long while, brown eyes suddenly softened and glittered with emotions._

"_Come here." He reached out his arms and gathered Leela to him: "I've got quite a few in my head at this point and time…"_

_He tilted his head and gently pressed his lips against hers…_

"….Leela? Leela…can you hear me?" Safiya's soft and serene voice drifted into her head. Leela fluttered her eyes; saw the Red Wizard hovered over her, with concern written all over her face.

"Now, what just happened?" The druid moaned and rolled onto her back.

"Armm…You…right…you…" The Red Wizard stuttered: "Honestly…I am not sure…I am not sure what I saw, or how can I describe it…"

"Try me." Leela crooked her eyebrow.

"You…humph…you…kind of armh… _swallow_ Telthor Wolf Nakata…" Safiya answered hesitantly.

"I… WHAT?"

"I told you I am not sure what I saw!" Safiya snapped: "Gods, that was…I've read this somewhere in the library way back…but…somehow in the moment like this I can't recall anything…Hells…"

"That's not a spell, is it?" Sitting up, the air genasi rubbed her eyes with her knuckles.

"No, definitely not. And it's not a divine invocation either. I know what they look like. No…it was like you suddenly turned inside out. A dark shadow lashed out from you and literally _gulfed _ the Wolf down…" Safiya shuddered; her face was still chalk white.

Something brushed gently against her elbow. Leela looked down, saw Fluffy glared at her with all four of its eyes worriedly. She grinned and gently patted the eight-legged companion.

"I am not sure what it was…" Said the druid thoughtfully: "I've been feeling unusually hungry since I woke up in that cavern, but somehow I had always assumed it was because I haven't been eating anything for some times. The last time I recalled having any decent meal was the night before our final Vale assault back at the Keep. Now came to think of it, that hunger was not normal. Someone, or something had placed it in me after removing the shard."

"Humph.." Safiya frowned. Seemed wanting to ensure something, she leaned over and gently touch the gash on Leela's chest: "…..The wound has healed up completely…"

"Do you think it is because I _ate_ that Spirit Wolf?"

"I don't know…" The Red Wizard shook her head: "Well, whatever that was, we'd better get moving. Nakata…that wolf spirit… did mention there's another bigger Telthor spirit up there. Let's hope all these commotion isn't waking him up. How are you feeling? You reckon you are able to walk?"

"Yeah…" Leela slowly dragged herself to her feet and was surprised her muscle aches were gone.

"Then we'd better make haste." The Red Wizard took the backpack Kaji handed over.

They continued their way along the cavern, fending off any Earth Elementals and Telthor Spirit charged towards them. Soon, they noticed the airs began to turn colder and brittle ice crystal started to appear here and their. Finally, when they came to the end of the tunnel, Leela found themselves facing a rather large ice chambers.

"Wow…where the hells are we?" She gushed.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Three- Offerings**

This chamber was different from what they had come across so far: crisp icicle crunched under their boots, sheer ice wall climbed up on both side of the entrance tunnel, between the columns and stalactite; the chambers floor were covered with thick layer of ice sheet.

Leela blinked her eyes, tried to get used to the suddenly excess brightness in the ice chamber. There was a large stalagmite in the center of the room, with several piles of bones; trinkets, beads and baubles were neatly placed around it.

"Kaji can see his own reflection here, Mistress!" Safiya's familiar was all excited.

Wind blew and swirled past their ears, gently brushed the stones and ice within the cavern. Something slowly shifted around the column and spun towards them. Upon close, Leela realized it was a whirlwind mass, carrying large quantities of snows, hails and ice. There were two fainted gray spots the air genasi suspected were its eyes. Frowning, the creature stared at the intruding party with immense curiosity.

"Blimey!" Safiya was in awe: "An Orglash? In the Barrow, down here? Gods, you don't see those everyday…."

"Orglash?" Leela inspected the creature curiously: "Isn't that a ice spirit of sort?"

"You've heard of them, huh?"

"Been read about them. Daeghun has pile of books about those in his study." Said Leela.

"Daeghun?"

"Oh, my foster father. Tales for some other times." The druid's hand on the sword hilt tightens.

"Humph…" The Red Wizard nodded and turned her attention back to the icicle mass: "…those things in the cave…they are the offerings. Rashemi worships spirits. They usually left the offerings for spirits of all kinds in certain places. And these are for river spirits. Must been washed down here….but that doesn't explain— "

"This one must tell you," Hissing sound echoed out of its swirling body, the ice spirit suddenly spoke: "that you are not welcome here."

"Wow, it talks." Safiya startled. Her eyes widen in surprise: "They usually just charged and attacked you on sight!"

"This one must also tell you to disturb nothing or this one must kill you. This one is sorry." Said Orglash apologetically.

"O—kay. No treasure looting or you got freezed. Got it." Leela held her breath: "…No means to offend you or anything, but what exactly are you doing here?"

"This one is guarding the sacred Rashemi offerings." Orglash explained: "This one must let no one disturb them. Such are terms of this one's punishments."

"Pun—what?" Leela's snowy eyebrows frowned: "Why are you being punished?"

"Good question." Safiya's head tilted: "Punishments? Who dare to punish an ice spirit?"

"For mischief." Orglash murmured: "This one is bound to this place for one hundred years. This one's freedom will come in fifty-seven years, when this one is destroyed, or when this is made to serve a master."

"Now you really confuse me." Leela raised her hand: "I need to get around the way you're you are talking. Let's start this again. Who punished you?"

"Okku."

"Okku?" Safiya nearby gushed: "Okku the great bear? Oh gods…"

"Ahem, non-Rashemi people here? Who's Okku?" Leela glared dart between the ice spirit and the Red Wizard.

"The lord of this place. This one woke Okku from his slumber and Okku's rage was most terrible." The ice spirit seemed shuddered.

"He's a…deity of the land." Safiya carefully inspected the cavern: "This is why you were punished. So this Barrow is actually his. He's the 'beast god' Nakata was talking about….arh… that sort of explains everything."

"So he is your master, Orglash?" Queried the druid.

"This one shall be bound to its master." Orglash nodded: "Go where he goes, for the remainder of this ones sentence. This one finds such servitude preferable to this place."

"In another word, you don't mind to be here?" Now this was interesting.

"No, this one does not have much choice."

"Humph…"Leela's fingers drummed her sword hilt: "Let's say if I am your master. What will happen?"

"That is most unwise, Leela" Safiya lowered her voice: "You cannot trust spirits. They will use you for reasons of its own."

"Isn't that like all of us?" The air genasi whispered back: "Besides, I would really prefer us saving some energy to deal with this….Okku thingy. Look at this chamber. Who has more advantage?"

Safiya scanned the ice cavern and grunted: "Orglash."

Leela shrugged, and turned her attention back to the ice spirit: "Orglash."

"Yes."

"If I said I am not your master, and you will come with me?" Asked the druid.

The ice whirlwind seemed hesitated. For a while it just remained there and all Leela heard was the sound of snow blowing through the tunnel. Finally, the hiss blurted out of twister again: "….Command this one to serve and it shall be so."

"Good." Leela relaxed: "So be it. I command you to serve me."

The ice spirit made what sounds like a sigh of relief. The whirlwind slowly vanished, leaving only the snow and ice behind.

Something chill leaned against her back. The air genasi reached her hands around to feel it. Her fingertips found it was her backpack. Curious, she lowered the pack and opened it. It was right there, under the crossbow and several spell scrolls, a largest crystal she had ever seen.

Leela left it up and held it closer against the light. Two faint dark spots floated among the swirls and glitters, as if it was winking.

They pressed on their long ascend towards the surface. They came across another cavern, which Safiya believed was the ruins of ancient Imaskari Empire. Much to Safiya's delight, it has quite a collection of spell scrolls. Later they stumbled upon another what seemed like an ancient Imaskari armory chamber, which contained the most unbelievable collections of armor and weapon they had seem so far. Between the dribbling water and mildew, they found a hidden small workshop filled with Imaskari Golems.

"We used to have a Illefarn Golem in Crossroad Keep…" Leela commented.

"So you are familiar with how Golem worked." The corner of Safiya's mouth curved: "It's similar concept, really. Golems are constructs created by magic. These ones…most of them are no longer useful, even though they seems to be…hey." She stopped in front of a dormant golem: "This one….perhaps…humph…"

"It could be a rather useful tank shield. Do you think we can activate this one?" Leela knelt down to inspect the golem.

"We could try." Safiya wrapped her arms around herself: "Let's see….try tabbing it, Leela."

The air genasi reached out her left hand and touched the construct. It wobbled a little bit made a few squeaking sound and suddenly stood up.

"Oh, lovely!" Safiya clapped her hand enthusiastically: "I think we can do something to enhance your….strength. Make you last longer during confrontation battle." She quickly scanned around: "There is the workbench—"

"What are you doing?" Leela watched as the Red Wizard approached the bench and began to rummage her pack.

:"Just give me a moment, I will need to make something." Answered Safiya half-heartily: "Arh…here is the Hellfire Powder we just found…."

She placed the powder in a bowl, hovered her right hand over it, and muttered some syllables under her breath. Her hand immediately glowed with faint blue light.

"So tell me, Leela" She grabbed a stirring stick from the table: "This Crossroad Keep you mentioned, is that where you came from?".

"….Kind of." Leela toyed with a rusty goblet from the nearby shelf: "I….the Keep was mine… It was given to me by Lord Nasher, of Neverwinter."

"You used to _own_ a keep?" Safiya caste the druid an impressed glance: "Wow. What happened to that keep now?"

"I don't know." Leela remembered the old stone fortress: the waving fields of hay; the windmill's gentle spin; shepherds' little boy, singing on the carriage in the sunset; the clang when chisel hitting onto stone; the cheers and roar from the Phoenix Tail Inn; the cooling night breeze, mixed with slight flowery scent in the courtyard; the cobble steps; the sound of soldiers' boots on the wall…

Neeshka's cheeky grin when her mind was brewing something wicked; Casavir's stern profile when he was looking over some battle plan; Qara's defiant smirk when she was about to caste a catastrophic fire spell; Ammon Jerro paced around the floor when trying to remember some summoning charm; Khelgar's low roaring laughter; Sand's absent-minded glare when buried himself in the books; Zhjaeve's scale fingers ran through the spell scrolls; Bevil's warm, sunny smiles; Elanee's ebony silhouette as she mumbled something to the tree; Grobnar's singing duel with Deekin, about tales of hero defeating hordes of the Underdark; and Bishop….

Bishop…

"I haven't had a chance to go back." She heard herself saying in some needless loud voice.

"I see…" The Red Wizard didn't notice. Her attention was once again back to the alchemy: "Miss it?"

"Hells, yeah."

Safiya's lips curled up: " Bet it's a lot better than down here."

"Anywhere is a lot better down here." Leela grinned.

Safiya chuckled: "Well…there, now it's done. Let's see if it worked."

"What's that?" Followed her back to the golem, Leela pointed at the bowl in her hand.

" Rejuvenation Salve, extra strength." Safiya explained: "I figured if we put some of those over its Essence core," She opened up golem's chest: " It should give this construct some more strength. Or else it is too weak to fight the spirit in this Barrow, especially Okku."

She tipped the bowl and poured the salve over the Essence. Almost immediately, bright blue light emitted from the core. Follow by a low humming sound, a protective shield rose around the golem.

"Ahah, it worked!" Safiya was ecstatic: "Wonderful! Now we have this little toy to play with until we reached the surface!"

The Imaskari Golem had proven to be incredibly quiet and swift, given that it was actually made of heavy materials. Most of the times as they moved along the dark cavern tunnels, all they heard was the light thuds. Its marble-made eyes constantly glared at you, waiting for your next orders. And upon facing up coming enemies, its attack was astonishingly effective.

"Arh, the wonders of ancient empire!" Enthused Safiya.

They continued to progress until they reached another chamber, the large bones piled on an stone altar suggested it was one of those many spirit resting places they had came across so far. Safiya came to a halt. Appeared to be stressed, she paced around the cavern, brushed her hands against the stonewalls, and mumbled something inaudible.

"What's wrong?" Leela arched an eyebrow.

"…This is not right." Said the Red Wizard of Thay out loud.

"What's not right?" Leela inspected the stone basin in front of the altar. There was some sticky residue at the bottom. She carefully scratched some off and sniffed them—something burnt.

"This chamber wasn't here…wasn't here the last time I passed" Safiya continued to circle around the cavern, checking every crack she came across, or chipped small piece of stone occasionally: "Someone, or something, I suspected spirits, sealed it. Gods, they really went through a great length to stop us getting out of here, did they? This thing…turned the earth itself against us. This is not good."

"'Course not," Leela sank to the floor, exhausted: "That means we can't get out."

Safiya stopped at one particular spot and knelt down: "There's certain magic remain in the earth here. It could be a powerful spirit, or many spirits, reshaped the soil" Her hand gently touched the floor surface.

"So we pissed the spirits off. Big deal."

"If you want to get out of here, it is a big deal."

"There must be another way out." Said the druid stubbornly: "Don't have to pass through here."

"Don't you think I've thought of that?" Safiya sighed. She began once again pacing around the chamber: "All the tunnels…all the tunnels we've came across so far ran down, not up. Those Imaskari ruins we saw, they were dead ends. There is no other way. We've got to find a way to—" Her voice trailed off. The stone basin next to the altar seemed to catch her attention. She rushed over and started examined the strange feature.

"Don't they get tired? We can always wait." Leela rubbed her eyes.

"You speak of them like they are living things. They are spirit, Leela. Spirits don't get tired, at least not as easily as we do." Answered the Red Wizard half-heartily.

"So what do you—what are you doing?" Leela frowned. Safiya's interest on the stone basin suddenly seemed very unusual.

"This." Safiya pointed at the basin: "Do you remembered I told you Rashemi worships spirits? And they usually leave offerings in exchange for something they are after?"

"….Yeah?" Leela wasn't sure where this was leading.

"Okay. This is what I think. The Rashemi…they have rituals to appease angry spirits—burning offerings to placate them. They usually are things that appeal to animals, like food, or twigs, or trinkets coveted by scavengers" Safiya explained.

"You mean we need to burn something to please whoever, or whatever it is, to let us pass?" Leela got the idea: "I don't think we have any food with us…humph…what about something we've just looted or salvaged from other offering caves?"

They began to rummage their backpacks. Soon there was a small piles of goods stacked up between where they were sitting.

"Such a habit we have, aye?" Safiya mused: "Let's see….I think this will do." She picked up a small pouch from the pile.

"Didn't we get that one from the ice spirit chamber?"

"Yep." The Red Wizard gingerly placed the pouch in the stone basin: "This is ideal. Usually in the ritual they burnt offerings in some sort of circle that form naturally, like a rotted tree stumps or…. Well, there is only one way to find out."

Her fingers crackled with sparks. She caste a simple fire spells to set the pouch alight. Soon the offerings were engulfed with flames.

They waited patiently. Almost as soon as the last bits of the offerings were gone, some small fracturing noise began to break out within the cavern. The wall on the far end of the chamber crumbled and revealed a rather large tunnel entrance.

"Oh, well. This must means the spirits like the bags." Leela quickly stood up and rushed towards the cave: "Common, let's go!"

"Look," Safiya elbowed the air genasi as they were half way through the narrow tunnel: "The ceilings…those are tree roots. We are not far from the surface, I reckon."

"Finally," Leela sighed: "I really need some decent, clean air! I feel my lung had gone moldy after all this time in the Barrow!"

Suddenly the cavern no longer seemed grim. Leela even found fighting those Barrow Guardians were actually quite entertaining. The surface was near, which means they can go to that Mulsantir to meet that Lieanna person. Then she could explain to her everything, like the strange hunger in her, where her sword was, how she got here, or perhaps how to get back…

And then what was she gonna do?

Bishop was dead.

She held him in her arms and watched his life slipping away. He was dead. His body was now among the cobbles in the Vale of Merdelain, hundreds of miles away.

How would she live, that he was no longer walked on the same Plane she was on? How could she breathe, that he was now no longer share the same air she breathed? How could she laugh, when all the laughter had gone with him? How could she eat, when everything was tasteless without him? How could she even sleep, when knowing full well waking up would be such a torture?

Did she really want to go back, go back to the world she once shared with the ranger? It would tear her into pieces when she set her foot on the soils full of those memories again. Did she really want to go back to the Sword Coast, to Neverwinter, to Crossroad Keep?

Safiya's sudden unusual high pitch voice pulled Leela back to the present state: "Oh, please not now, STOP IT! STOP!"


	4. Chapter 4

** The Beast Within**

** Chapter Four- Okku**

"Are you alright?" Leela stopped and looked at her companion: "What's going on?"

"No…it's just…."She shook her head: "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" Leela checked the angling upward slope ahead the tree root dangled tunnel ceilings, and the corner filled with thick, humid mist. She pondered if it was safe to stop and have some rest: "We can always stop and catch our breath a bit here. You don't need to feel oblige to escort me to safety by sacrificing your own well being, you know. I think we still have some healing potions in the backpack and I believe I can dig out some rejuvenation spell scrolls lying around somewhere…."

"I'm fine. Really." Safiya held out her hand and inhaled a deep breath: "This is… something I've been having since as far as I can remember. Look, I…I promise I will explain this to you later, okay? We really need to hurry. There is one final large offering chamber ahead and I am pretty sure the exit is at the other end."

"Alright…if you insisted." Leela gave her one last glace before tighten her grip on the sword and stepped forward again.

But the last cavern chamber was like no other. First it was twice as large compare to any offering chamber they had came across at the lower level; second, the stone where the large animal bones atop were carved in runes; other than the usual offering chest, which was frequently seen throughout the Barrow, there were several large poles, shaped in roaring bear statues, around the altar; moonlight shun through the small openings right above the rune stone; finally, there was something, perhaps Essence, humming in bright blue light in the ribcage where the large animal bones laid.

And there it was, in front of the bone altar, standing among the drifting mist, dripping water and the dangling tree root, were the largest Telthor bear spirit they had ever seen. Like Nakata the spirit wolf they had encountered earlier, the bear spirit appeared to be solid. Its hide was shimmering in vivid colours, mostly red, dark blue, yellow and white. Its silver sharp claws were as bright as moonlight. Its eyes glared at them with rage. Halo circled around its magnificently large body.

"Humph, I thought I smelled something foul stir in the air." The bear growled: "Go back…and die in the silence and the dark. I am tired… It was most unpleasant being disturb and woken up from your sleep."

"You are Okku." Observed Leela.

"Yes. I am Okku. In life, I ruled the world above – fish and fowl, bird and beast. In death, I guard this realm below, and I dream of wind and moon and sky." The bear bared his large teeth: "And I know what you are, little one. I _smell_ the hunger that wakes in you."

Curiosity flicked across Leela's tinted blue face: "You…you know?"

"Of course I know." Okku tittered: "I have walked this Plane much, much longer than you, mortal. I've encountered, seen, or fight the most unusual things you can't even imagine. I know what you are and what's inside you, which is precisely why you can't reach the lands above. Your place belongs right here."

"Then what is it? What is it that reside me?" Asked Leela.

Okku's eyebrow arched: "You don't know what it is?"

"No."

The Telthor spirit's shrugged: "How inter—."

"I don't care _what_ you smell or _what_ you know, beast god. She's leaving with me. You will _not _ have her." Interjected Safiya warningly. Her staff rose, and spells readied at her fingertips.

"Aye, aye, aye. What do we have here?" Laughed the Telthor spirit: "Wake up in the morning and suddenly decide to take a walk down here and fetch something you hardly know? Thayan, what do you care? I know your kind. You love your own lives above all else!"

"Oh, is that so? No, spirit god, you don't know _me_ . But I know_ you _, I know_ your_ kind: "The Red Wizard was surprisingly feisty: "I know your present form, all these lovely colourful hide… is only a fraction of your true self. Yes, I know. And I"ve shaped and bound far greater things than you. We are going to leave and there is nothing you can do to stop us."

"Cha-cha, nothing I can do, aye? I can think of a dozen." The giant bear god's eyes narrowed: " Gee, that's a nasty storm I smell on you, Thayan. Does your new buddy know all the secrets you are trying to hide? Oh, my. Grief and confusion beyond measure…and something much, much more…"

Safiya's voice raised: "Hide? I have nothing to hide!"

"Oh, really?" Said Okku archly: "Looks like they haven't tell you anything, haven't they? Haven't you experience something that you can't explain, came across something, or some placed, that is so familiar but you swear you it's the first time you've seen it? Throughout your life, you always feel like something missing, but you don't know what that is? Arh…Thayan, poor, poor thing."

The Red Wizard was absolutely bewildered, colour completely drained from her face: "How do you…..? What..what are you talking about?"

"Arh….I think you know." Okku jerked its nose: "But now…enough talk. I swore the oath long ago, so neither of you is leaving my den!"

Okku's glowing eyes turned fierce. He lashed out, claws sweeping widely, trying to push Leela against the wall. Leela dodged sideways and rolled over, avoided the Telthor spirit. Quickly vaulted back to her feet, the druid's left hand reached her back and drew out another small dagger. She sprung around, whirled and swirled out with her weapons. Fluffy the spider leap onto the bear's back and sank its pincers deep into its hide. Almost at the same time, the Imaskari Golem glided forwards swiftly, waved its heavy fist and throwing punches from the side. Okku staggered backwards slightly and launched another round of the attack.

Safiya stood slightly afar. Her fingers glowed with blue lights and sizzled with sparks. The Red Wizard of Thay recited her spell loudly. Lightening began zapping down from the ceiling and turned almost everything into rubbles. However, they did not seem to affect the spirit bear. They simply bounced off from his thick hide.

"Think these will effect me, do you?" Snarled Okku, while trying to shake off Fluffy from his back. Seizing the distraction caused by Safiya, Leela leaped off from the tree root she has been dangling on and sank her sword into his spine. The bear spirit growled, trying even harder to toss them off. Teeth gritting, holding dare on its back, she hissed a set of syllables without thinking. Large Dire Bear conjured out of thin air and raked directly towards Okku. The Giant Telthor bear spirit was now hugely out-numbered.

"Wow, superb!" Shouted Safiya below: "Teach me that spell when we have time!"

"No problem!"

Okku let out an earth-shattering roar. He stood, tipped the druid off to the ground. His halo around his body brightened.

The airs within the cavern swirled and were thicken with blood scent. Leela dragged herself to her elbow; saw more Telthor spirits appeared out of the shadows. Suddenly they were surrounded by the spirit army.

"He's calling out more spirits to help him!" Safiya waved her staff and thunders began to howl above them, followed by swarms of meteor as large as those bears falling around them. She just cast the Meteor Swarm spell.

"Do more of these!" Leela shouted at the top of her voice. She came to her feet; saw the golem engaged with two Telthor bears, without even the slightest dent oh its body.

"Oh, no problem!" Safiya gave the druid an affirmative nod. More bombarding meteor followed. The cavern now was now soak in the mist of dust and falling debris. There were burning tree roots everywhere. Nobody could see anything further than an arm's reach.

"Fluffy! Web!" Leela called out her trusty companion. A series of clicking and whooshing sound, and some low struggling grunts followed indicating Fluffy had got the message.

The air genasi narrowed her eyes and saw a glimpse of colorful shade moving about through the mist. The bear god was still among them.

"Right, warm-up's over." The corner of Leela's lips curled up. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand: "Time to play."

She swirled her weapon, holding both the sword and the dagger in reverse grip. The air soon settled and the dust was cleared. Everything gradually became visible once again.

Leela took a quick scan around the cavern. She saw Safiya still standing neared the entrance tunnel with one spell scroll in her hand. Her eyes traced along with her fingertips, seemed about to recite some spell. Fluffy trapped at least two Telthor spirits with its web, pinned them up at the walls. The Imaskari Golem had just slain another spirit animals and has the utmost curious expression on its face, watching them disperse into a cloud of dust. Judging by the Essence scattering around it, it must had killed off at least half a dozen. Okku the Telthor bear god leaned against the offering stone; panting, his hide was patched with burnt marks.

The druid took a deep breath, leaped forward and ran towards Okku. She came to a halt a few meters away from the spirit bear and slide underneath him. Before he could react, she scythed the enchanted sword through his thick hide.

The bear's raging roar quaked the whole cavern. He stood once again on his two feet, and launched a series of bashing assaults on Leela right beneath him. The air genasi managed to roll away just in time. Sliding the dagger against her belt, she climbed up the nearby column and grasped a handful of tree root draped from the ceiling. Okku's heavy claws weren't far behind. She swung between tree roots, occasionally descended to attack the Telthor animal spirit leader. Every stab the sword weaved caused deeper wound.

Something flew past Leela's ears. She glanced down, saw a hail of purple magic arrows hit Okku head on. Hands still sizzled, Safiya's lips uttered more spells. This time she summoned two long swords to join the fight.

The battle with Telthor spirits was now full on. With her companions dealt with the others, Leela could focus on dueling with Okku. Waving her sword and dagger, the druid slashed and hacked the Nine Hell out of the bear god. That, along with Safiya's large area spells, soon slowed down Okku's attack. The injuries appeared on his body were a lot more and severe.

"….Checky mortals!" Cursed Okku: "You had no idea who you are dealing with. Wait till you see your doom!"

Then without warning, he disappeared.

"Wha—?" Leela blinked her eyes, unsure what she had just seen.

"Leela! Oi! Need help!" Shouted Safiya: "Horde of Telthor spirit army down here, if you don't mind!"

"Oops!" The druid turned her attention back to the cavern. She quickly jumped down from a column and rejoined the fight. With the leader's gone, it didn't take them long to clear out the entire cavern. When it was all finish, both of them was lying on the floor, panting, too exhausted to move even a single muscle.

"Gods……" Sighed Leela.

Safiya chuckled.

"Been ages since the last time I fight like that!" The air genasi stared into the settling mist.

"…. The last time I participate something like this was during my last year as an apprentice at the Academy!" The Red Wizard giggled weakly.

"Where…where do you think Okku go?"

"Oh, that." Safiya turned her head around: "I don't think this is the last time we see the back of him."

"I suppose you are right." Leela grinned, watching the two summoned longswords vanished with a pop sound: "Now…I hope there will be no more damn spirit animals 'cause I am bloody exhausted. An ant can easily stab me to death."

Safiya laughed.

They rested in that cavern long enough before any of them were able to stand up and totter a few steps again. When they finally managed to make their way to the exit and blinked their eyes against the soft morning Sun, both the air genasi and the Red Wizard were let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally! No most moldy stone walls, glowing evil looking mushrooms, and dead animal bones!" Exclaimed the young wizard: "Gods, I never thought I would miss the surface this much."

Leela smiled, feeling the morning breeze gently brushed against her face. She inhaled deeply, and again. A cooling energy surged through her, waking up every single cells within her body. Swirls of air started circling around her, sending some of her lose hair flying against the wind.

"Wow…" Safiya was in awe: "Now I can see what you mean by 'can't breath'."

The air genasi's grin deepened. She jerked her head around. Saw their faithful golemn companion had collapsed onto the ground, returned to the dormant state: "Oh, is that meant to happened?"

"Yeah, unfortunately the essence within this golemn only last just enough for us to make it out of the Barrow." Safiya shrugged. She bent over, opened golem's chest again and fetched a glowing essence out of its body: "Still…we can keep this. At least its legacy will live on, aye?"

Leela caste a side-glance at the Red Wizard.

"How are you faring?" Asked Safiya.

"I am alright."

"Are you sure?" Safiya arched her tattooed eyebrow: "You've been eviscerated, paralyzed, assaulted by spirits and dragged through an underground caverns by someone you hardly ever known, anyone in your shoes would definitely throw away everything and have a mega tantrum by now. And yet you're still standing. I haven't even heard you whining."

"Do you want to hear me whine?" Leela amused.

"No, not really." Safiya smiled: "At any rate, we should find some nice little Traven after we enter the City, have a little rest before we go to see this…Lieanna person. Let's hope she will have all the answers."

Leela nodded. She was bewildered when the Red Wizard pulled out a black robe from her bag and put it over her existing red one: "It's not that cold."

"No, it's not. This is for concealing my identity." Safiya withdrew a black cap from her bag: " Rashemi aren't famous for their hospitalities. They especially distrusting of Thayans, ie, me. So while we are here, I reckon I might as well not showing off my red robes… just in case."

"Anyone goes near you or make any comment about you being Thayan, I will personally feed them to Fluffy!" The druid pointed at the giant spider on her shoulder.

"Arh…there is no need." Safiya sniggered: "At any rate…thank you."

"For what? Feed Fluffy?"

"No, I mean you actually show any concern about me. Usually people just don't care."

"Why would they _not care_ ? Don't you have friends?" Leela watched the Red Wizard checking her reflection on the nearby pond.

"When your mother is the headmistress of the Academy, everyone is your friend." Smiled Safiya sarcastically: "But most of them are for their own purposes. You wouldn't call those people your friend."

"I see."

"And you." The Red Wizard glanced at her: "We only just know each other for how long? A few hours top? And you are actually showing signs of concern about my well being. Now that's something."

"Well," Leela shrugged: "You fight your way out of that Barrow with me. I consider that is something that friends do."

"…Alright, thanks again." Smiled Safiya shyly: "Now, lets find somewhere to eat and drink. I was told Rashemi eat squirrels. Their roast squirrels are the most excellent!"


	5. Chapter 5

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Five- The Veil Theatre**

_It was a clear, full moon night. The moonlight filled the room, coating everything in milk white colour. It felt surreal and serene. _

_Armors, belts, weapons, tunic, boots and leggings scattered, leaving a trail from the door to the bed._

_They lied in bed, in each other's arms; felt the warm came out of the other's body; heard each other's slow, rhythmic breath; rubbed their legs against the soft, cooling blanket. In the distance, there were dogs barking; a woman talked loudly to her children;gentle breeze brushed through the treetop._

_Everything was peaceful. _

"……_Colour of the star." Bishop commented abruptly as he wrapped the silver braided strand between his fingers._

"_Hump?" Leela half jerked her head up and looked into the ranger's deep brown eyes._

"_Your hair." He ran the hair under his nose and inhaled deeply: "Does air genasi always have hairs like this?"_

" _Pretty much. My, my ranger suddenly all-poetic!" Tease flickered through the druid's eyes. _

"_I can be poetic when I needed to." Bishop blushed._

_Leela laughed gently. She rolled over to the top of the ranger, hair curtained all over his fined feature face._

"_Tell me more, then." She murmured before kissing him._

The building stood in front of them was very old. The large hand hewn posts were worn and weathered. The polished paint on the wall were peeled off, some have layers of graffiti on them. Several battered flags draped from the spider web infested jetties, with dye clearly faded. Bulky looking doorframe was decorated with flourish symbols, topped with two hideous looking masks, one shown the expression of joy, the other sadness.

Leela and Safiya stood at the bottom of the entrance; both tilted their heads and looking up the worn stone steps.

"The Veil Theatre." The Red Wizard gaped: "Some place, aye?

"…I must say I am not entirely agree with Rashemi's taste when it comes to the art department." Leela observed the two pearl white masks overhead: "But then again, nor have I been an art person."

"Well, according to the locals, it's one of the oldest place in town. This is where the owner Lieanna lives. " Safiya shrugged, caste a side glance at the air genasi's hair: "By the way, can you explain to me again why in the Nine Hells did you decide to…huh…do that to your hair?"

Standing in the sunset, Leela's silvery long, braided hair was gone. Besides a few stands of longer ones around the hairline, her hair was now short, obediently combed against her scalp.

Earlier, after they rested and feed at the local Traven, Leela and Safiya came across a stall in the market square that sell mirrors. The druid suddenly grabbed her dagger and cut all her braids off, much to Safiya and several bystanders' astonishment.

"So you won't feel lonely." Leela winked.

"Cha-cha, that's funny." Safiya giggled slightly: "Alright, I get it, you don't want to talk about it. Such a shame, though. Your longer hair looks lovely."

The air genasi smirked, but did not say anything. How did she explain to someone, whom she only met less than a day ago, that she removed her long locks simply because of a mere memory?

"_The star has fallen._" Leela murmured to herself: "_Colour shall be shed._"

"What's that?" Asked the Red Wizard.

"Nothing." Leela shook head: "Shall we?"

Safiya nodded, gestured the druid to move first. They climbed up the stairs and pushed the heavy door open.

It took Leela a few seconds to be able to see the interior of the Veil Theatre properly. The dust motes swirled. Smells of hays and some unknown flowery scent first filled her nose. Under the dim light, the air genasi could see the straw layered floor, and bales of hays lined neatly around the center stage.

"Safiya?" Someone spoke from the shadow: "Daughter of Nefris?"

The Red Wizard of Thay's almond shape eyes narrowed: "Who's there?"

"Oh, goodness!" The voice gushed sarcastically: "Look, what did I tell you, Safiya is _here_. I thought I recognised those two homunculi as your handiwork…"

It was when Leela notice there were two dead homunculi lying in front of the stage, both being torn into pieces. Nearby, several armoured Thayan Gnolls stood, all weapon clenched and growled at them warningly. The druid's eyebrows frowned. Gnolls in some unknown small city's theatre? Now this couldn't be good. Kaji let out a high pitch shriek, before started cursing and sobbing loudly.

"You!" Snarled Safiya: "What have you done to Ipsit and Sefi?"

"Oh…" The voice chuckled: "Don't tell me you have feelings for those…primitive things? Now, we caught them nosing around the theatre. The Gnolls toyed with them for a little while before dismembering them into shred…back to where they were, you see."

"Arh…friends of yours, Saf?" Leela tilted her head slightly towards Safiya.

"Friends? Hells, no." The Red Wizard's glare was now full of furry: "He's an necromancy student from the Academy. Now I wonder why is he here…"

"Likewise." With their eyes now used to the darker interiors of the theatre, Leela noticed a male wizard who dressed identical to Safiya stood on stage. He inclined his tattooed head: " I've been thinking about that myself ever since the Gnolls caught those little bastards. Why would the daughter of Nefris want to come here? What does she know that we don't?"

"There're a lot of things I know that you don't, pawn." Sparks began to crackle between Safiya's fingers: "Now why don't we stop being polite and you tell me what in the Nine Hells are you doing here?"

"Tsk, tsk, Araman would love to hear this. She has no clue!" The male Wizard laughed: "Oh, my, my—"

"Araman?" Safiya's eyes were widened with surprise: "Araman the necromancy professor? What—"

"Arh….hello, anyone care to explain to me what's going on here right now?" Leela's brows furrowed: "I've got so many strange new people's names to remember over the course of one day, please forgive me if I am confuse. Who's Araman?"

"….An professor in our Academy." Said Safiya the Red Wizard.

"The best, most talented professor in our Academy." Added the male Wizard.

"Oh, I am sure Master Araman will certainly please do see how you are such an lick-arse." Threatened Safiya: "Now piss off before I lost my temper!"

"Piss off?" The male Wizard chuckled: "Hells, no. Araman would have us strangled if we let the daughter of Nefris walks free—for the second time. As for you, stranger, my apologies, but since we wanted to do this as discrete as possible, there's no way I will let you walk free and warn the Witches."

Spells flew across the stage. Soon they engaged in heated combat. Safiya caste some protective shield over both her and Leela to prevent magical spells attacks, while Leela waved and whirled her weapons away to knock down the Gnolls one by one. Even Kaji, who's been stayed wild away from any combat since meeting her, jumped on the back of a Gnoll and trying its dearest to rip its ears off. It didn't take long for them kill off the necromancy student and his bodyguards.

"Araman probably reckoned they won't meet much resistance in a small place like this, or else he would sent someone much more….interesting to deal with." Panted The Red Wizard.

"Why would he want to send someone here?" Leela slide the sword back to her belt.

"You know, it's a good question." Safiya took over a couple of looted objects recovered from the male wizard's dead body from Kaji: "When I left the Academy to come to fetch you, mother mentioned there were some rumors about a coup that was staged against her. But consider us being Thanyans, it was really quite normal…"

"Normal?"

"Oh, yeah. We are Thayans after all. It's in our blood—to outfight or overrule each other at any possible cost. Wizards are highly competitive and extremely self-centered; we refuse to stay under one ruler for long. In Thay, there are eight Zulkirs, which is a title of power among the Red Wizard of Thay by the way, rule the country. Their names are constantly changing, so I won't tell you their name in case it confuses you. There's always fight between them. Constant backstabbing, coups, and assassinating are our daily lives."

"Urh…thanks for the info." Leela smirked: "They sounds a lot like Arcan Brotherhood in Luskan."

"Yeah, they are similar." Safiya grinned: "Do you know how many times we tried to infiltrate those damn tower of theirs? They are very strong, a lot stronger than we are, obviously. But don't tell the others, just in case they got angry and try to kill ya!"

The air genasi laughed and was about to say something back, when out of the corning of her eyes, she spotted something moving in the shadow. She sprung around and quickly drew out her dagger, ready to hit on whatever came towards them.

But it was no wizard, nor Gnolls, or Telthor spirit of any kind. It was a plum female dwarf. Middle age looking, the woman seemed a bit hesitated to step forward.

"Is it…over?" White faced, the dwarf whispered in her accented tongue.

"Yes, it is." Safiya gently pushed past Leela and gave the woman a soft smile: "Are you alright? What's your name?"

"I….I guess so. My…my name is Magda." The dwarven female tried to squeeze a smile from her horror stricken face: "You guys had the perfect timing. Never in my forty years of Theatre I've seen anything like this. They were about to drag us out and dissected us one by one…. Gods, I couldn't imagine….Lieanna told us you are coming, but…she certainly didn't mention anything about the Red Wizards and those horrible beast!"

"Lieanna knew…we're coming?" Leela arched her eyebrow.

:"Course she did." The woman turned around and beckoned other people to come out.

"Are you sure she didn't know anything about those Red Wizards?" Asked Leela.

"Hells, no."

"We need to see her. Where is Lieanna now?" Safiya looked around the theatre.

"She's…. she's at the back." Magda turned her head around and glanced at the door at the center of the stage. Two more large masks hang on the top of the doorframe: " They…they chased her."

"They?" Queried Leela and Safiya in unison.

"That Red Wizard wasn't alone, you see." Fear once again flickered under Magda's eyes her hands were now knotted tightly: "I counted there were three more, plus those doggy-face looking brute."

"Oh, shit." Cursed the air genasi: "How long ago was this?"

"Not long. Just before you two arrived."

"Now this is getting more and more interesting." Leela folded her arms: "All these trouble for some old lady?"

"Now if we are hurry we might still have chance!" Safiya tucked the druid's elbow; try to hurry her to the back stage. The little dwarven woman Magda suddenly grabbed a handful of Leela's cloak, stopped her from following the Red Wizard.

"Wait, wait, you'll need this!" Magda pawed Leela's hand and placed something in her palm. Upon close inspection, she realized it was a strange looking black stone. As dark as charcoals, the obsidian surface was as smooth as mirror, yet it did not reflect any lights at all. They seemed to be 'absorb' by it.

"….Where did you get this?" Safiya arched her brow whiled studied the rock intensely.

"This is Lieanna's." Magda explained: "She's not a normal theatre matron, you know. She has a secret – a shadow door that lead to a…what was her words…. a reflection of the Veil."

"_A Shadow Plane_!?" Safiya's eyes widen: "Wow."

"Shadow Plane? Now here is something I thought I would never heard again in my lifetime. ." Leela sighed: "Jolly good."

"You've heard of it?"

"Oh, yeah. That was exactly why I had a shard in my chest…well…. before someone removed it and left me in that Barrow." The air genasi shrugged.

"I see. And this Lieanna has…a door to that Plane right in her room?" Safiya shook her head: "Here goes just a normal old lady…"

"The stone." The dwarf continued, trying her dearest to pour out everything she know in the shortest amount of time: "When you bring it to a weak spot between two worlds, a door will open for you. As long as you have the stone, you won't miss that door. Now you must hurry, Lieanna went through that door in the thought that those bastards wouldn't follow, but I don't think they would give up that easily. Her life's in grave danger, please, go save her!".

Leela gave Magda one final nod before being dragged away by Safiya. They got onto the stage and headed through the door. Straight behind the door was a backstage storage area. There were several crates stacking up on the floor or along the stairs, some covered with spider webs. Several weapon rack stood against the wall. Candles on the wall emitted some dim lights, flickered slightly as the air blew through the room.

Something was behind the wall, something large. They thumped across the floor and made low growling noises. Leela guessed it was those Gnolls. She jerked her head around, wanting to indicate her companion to be on guard. It was only when she noticed Safiya was sweating.

"What's wrong?" Concerned, Leela reached out her hand to touch the Red Wizard's forehead. It was normal: "…You're alright?"

Safiya winced: "No, I…humph…something wasn't right…this is different…Ouch!" She dropped to her knees and quivered uncontrollably. Sweat began to break off from her forehead.

"Mistress!" Kaji squeaked.

"Safiya…" The druid knelt down next to her companion, watching the Red Wizard trashing about in agony: "You're in pain! Tell me what's wrong!"

"….I've told them….I've told them not now…"Said Safiya through gritted teeth.

"Gods!" Leela ran her fingers through her hair, only realized her hair was now short: "Alright, just…try stay still!"

She placed her hand on Safiya's forehead and murmured some spell. A surge of energy ran through her body and released through her hand. It was glowing in brilliant lights. The Red Wizard twitched a bit, but soon seemed calmer.

"Arh…thank you." Her brows still creased, but she was able to bring herself to the sitting position.

"How are you faring?" Asked Leela.

"Better. What spell did you use?" Safiya touched her temple.

"A basic healing spell." Leela replied.

"Oh, if only I know it was that easy, Gods, I could have done that ages ago…" The Red Wizard giggled.

"So what exactly happened?" Leela sent Fluffy ahead to scout and kept a guard on those Gnolls before handed over a waterskin to Safiya.

"…It was….well….a bit hard to explain really." Safiya gulped down a large amount of water.

"Well, try me." Leela insisted.

"Al…alright." Safiya stared at the druid for a few minutes before finally gave in: "Do you remembered back in the Barrows, I suddenly behaved strangely, just before we reach Okku's chambers?"

"Yeah."

"Right, I told you I've had this since I was a child. As long as I can remember, I hear voices, voiced that weren't my own. They echoed in my head, mumbling things that doesn't make sense to me most of the time." Safiya explained.

"Oh."

"Normally there were just voices. But today…." The Red Wizard let out a big sigh: "This is the second time I've heard voices, as well as the pain."

"Wait, this is the second time?" The thumping footsteps continued, Leela felt every single cell within her body was in high alert: "This is the second time. When was the first?"

"At the Barrow…just before I found you. I thought it was because of the spirit there." Safiya replied.

"And the voice, what did they sounds like?" Leela tilted her head.

"They sound human... familiar, almost." Safiya tapped her finger on one side of her nose unconsciously: "Quite often, the voices are more of a distant haze. But sometimes, whole words come across."

Leela glared at her. This was new, not everyday you heard someone had voice in her head and able to tell you in great detail about it.

"During my apprenticeship," Corner of her mouth curled up: "I read from the wrong scroll and, not knowing what I was doing, nearly incinerated myself. Before I could finish the chant, a voice in my head cried out and broke my concentration. It saved my life—"

Fluffy's clicking sound rose suddenly. Those Gnolls were on the move, clearly coming towards this room.

"Look, "The Red Wizard took a deep breath: "I've... rambled far too long - we should carry on and find Lienna. If others from the Academy are seeking her, we may not have much time..."

"Alight" Leela nodded. She reached out her hand and pulled Safiya up: "Be on your guard. Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

_**AN**: This one is a bit short. I wanted the memory only in this chapter, so I move the excess bit to the next one. Also, I re-categorized the guidance to T, for all the gruesome gutting glory. Thanks._

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Six- Beyond Portal**

"Now, isn't this grim." Leela commented as she inspected the surroundings. Everything was in some shades of gray. They were in what suppose to be Lienna's room in the Shadow Plane. There were several large bookshelves stuffed with books, runes and scrolls. Some even overflowed to the near by chests and small cabinets. Two large desks were piled with scrolls and alchemy instruments. In the center of the room, a large pewter cauldron bubbled away, with gods-knows-what contents inside.

"I think I prefer the Plane we are living in." Hands on her waist, the air genasi concluded.

Behind her, was a metal loop, large enough for people to pass through. Carved and riddled with mysterious runes, the giant ring was humming and glowing in strange golden light. Within the metal loop, thick, dark smoky shadows swiveled. Suddenly, a hand emerged among those thick shadows. Then it was the entire arm, the shoulder, and the whole upper body— Safiya had just slowly stepped out of the Shadow Portal. She steadied herself and straightened her astray robe before raising her head: "Arh…so this is what a Shadow Portal like. I've heard and read so much about those, none of them compare to actually gone through one myself. It's like going through a wall made of smoke…arh, Leela, we've got company!"

Leela frowned. She withdrew her dagger and threw it across her shoulder without even turning her head. A grunt indicated it hit her target dead on. Two Rinyeses and a Red Wizard emerged from the shadow and began their attack at once. Safiya stretched her arm over the druid's shoulders and showers of Meteor pouring from above almost immediately. One of the Rinyeses caste a Web spell and was blocked by Fluffy's web within a few inches of the duo. More daggers flew out of Leela's hands. One embedded deep into the Red Wizard's right shoulder, made him drop his magic rod. The other one went straight into the Rinyes' chest. She let out some gurgle sounds before collapsed onto the floor.

It took them a little while to clear them all up. When they finished, the content within the cauldron was splattered in blood.

"Gods, I hope whatever Lienna was brewing wasn't going to be effected by this!" Safiya bent over to sniff the smoke coming out of the pot: "Never found of Potion. There is no way I can tell what's in there."

"Two Red Wizards!" Leela wrenched her sword from the dead Rinyes: "More behind one of those doors, perhaps? Gods, to think they would at least restrain themselves a little, you know, for fellow Thayan's sake."

"I told you Thayan's are the most self absorb people on our Plane." Safiya abandoned the cauldron and approached the two doors within this chamber. She tried one of the doorknobs. It was locked: "One less people fighting for the ultimate power, one more chances they got. They will not hesitate, nor giving any sympathy, when facing their own people."

"Humph." The druid made a committal noise before checking for the other door: "Hey, this one isn't lock."

"Excellent!" Safiya quickly gathered their gears and rushed over, watching Leela slowly and quietly twisted the doorknob, while very carefully withdrew her staff from her back.

It was an empty room.

There was no one in there. Similar to its layout in parallel Plane, this room appeared to be a backstage storage place. The air swirled and stirred as they entered the chamber, sending the candlelight flickered. There were still the same crate, chest, racks, cobwebs and customs. The only difference was everything was now black and white. However, Leela suddenly had a familiar sensation that she had been in this room before. She went rigid, and the back of her neck prickled. There was no way she had been here prior to this, but….

The air genasi's glare stopped at a large, heavy wooden table in the middle of the room. The ancient ugly looking counter was made of roughly chopped timber, however it's surface seemed smooth after years of frequent usage. Patches of old, dry blood spattered the entire bench. Two heavy metal restraints were mounted on each end, to bind a person's hands and feet.

_Cuffed by the heavy restraints, Leela became vaguely aware she was lain on a bench top surface. Her head was throbbing, as if someone had smash it with an Ogre club. She tried to wrench her arms and legs, but winced by the metal dug deep into her skin…_

"Leela?" Safiya tugged the druid's sleeve slightly, curious why her companion's sudden quietness. Leela seemed totally unaware of her presence, however. The air genasi merely caste her vacant glance before moving towards the hideous table in the middle of the chamber.

Stood next to the table, Leela reached out your hand and touched the smoothed surface. An invisible current suddenly surged through her body. Memories, memories associated with this room flushed past her in full force.

_Where was she? Leela twisted her head, trying her hardest to identify the surroundings. She was in some kind of room. Dark, ghasty figures moved around her, whispered inaudible words to each other, while glared at their bounded victim in front of them. The druid narrowed her eyes, tried to identify who was around her, only to give up after stars started appear in her eyes…_

_A cool hand reached out and gently brushed through her face. The skin of it was so cold, sending shivered through her entire body. The hand slowly moved aside her braids on her face and tilted her chin slightly higher._

"_Such a pretty girl" Someone's voice echoed through the din. It was soft, calm, but epochal: "Are you sure…"_

"_We have no other options" Another voice replied, or it was the same voice? It was hard to tell, "We've tried everything, and you know that………"_

"……"

_The voices faded and retreated into the background again. Leela's eyes became heavy. She tried her hardest to stay awake, however. Knowing fully well the consequences on losing her consciousness at this moment would not be wise. She tried to move her arms and legs again, this time several hands pressed them down and tightened the belts and cuffs that that strapped them. The air genasi writhed harder. The sharp metal cut into her skin, causing her to bleed…_

_The headache nearly split her scull in half. Now there were ringing in her ears. Leela tried to open her mouth, but all she could produce were some rattling noise. _

"_The girl is conscious…" The voice came through the haze again._

"………_We are so sorry, child…" The other paused for a moment before apologized: "But we really must do this, we have no choice…" _

_Fear began to creep up the druid's spinet. What do they mean 'they were sorry'? Where exactly the Nine Hell was she? Who were those things? What were they going to do to her? _

"Lee?" Safiya's concern grew. She came to the table and tried to look into her companion's eyes. The air genasi wasn't responding. She remained standing by the bench, face blanked, transfixed and both hands glued to the wooden surface.

_ The shadows stirred again. A woman stepped into the view. Wrapped entirely in red, she leaned forward and tilted her head to inspect her intensely. Her strangely familiar almond eyes, tattooed with heavy eyeliners, were filled with determination and sympathy. Something inside Leela twisted. As if it was sensing something that its owner didn't, the shard vibrated and coiled violently, sent the druid into an excruciating fits. _

_Another woman approached her. She looked so identical to the one in red, for a moment the druid thought she had double vision. She placed her hand on Leela's sweating forehead, cooed softly and whispered something the air genasi did not recognised. Then she began to unbuckle her armour._

_What, what was she doing? _

_Panic started to surge within Leela's consciousness. She swung her head, trying her hardest to see the woman's face. The woman in white removed her armour; her hands were now slowly lifting and rolling her tunic upwards, pushing them towards her neck, revealing the shimmering blue skin underneath. _

_The woman in red withdrew something from her sleeve. Something shiny. It took Leela a few seconds to register it was a dagger. _

_The air genisi's eyes widen. She opened her mouth, trying to scream, or curse some spells. But somehow her ability to speak was lost; all she could make was some rattling sound. She watched only helplessly as the red woman reproached her, lowered her arm and pressed the blade against her bare chest skin. The shard inside twisted even more vigorously, sending Leela waves after waves of burning pain…_

"Leela!" Safiya panicked as she saw the air genasi shivering from top to toe, shaking violently. She grasped her shoulder, trying to zap her back to reality. But somehow her companion determined to stay in some kind of trace state. Sweat began to break off from the druid's forehead. Her knee started to buckle; yet her hands remain attached to the tabletop.

_The overwhelming flaming sensation intensified when the blade inserted into her body and nearly subsided her. Leela jerked her head backwards, mouth wide opened, trying to grasp more air. Blood surged, overflowed and dribbled down from the corner of her mouth. She made some meaningless gulping sounds, watching the woman in red slowly slide her arm into the gash on her chest. Blood splattered everywhere…_

_Tears welled up and trickled down from her eyes when shard was wrenched and pulled from the inside. Her whole body went into fits. Who were those people? Why did they do this to her? _

"_I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" The woman in white wept and repeated her apology over and over. Leela could do nothing but glaring at her, questioning her their motives wordlessly. _

_The woman in red let out a long sigh and withdrew her arm, which was now red to the elbow. In her hand, was the very shard that had been embedded within the air genasi since she was a mere baby. She gingerly placed it in the awaiting palms of the woman in white, and then turned her attention to Leela again._

_She place her both hands on the gash wound, applied pressure slightly and muttered some incarnations. Her hands started to gush with energy and shimmering in bright blue light. Almost immediately, warmth rushed through Leela's body. The air genasi became slightly relaxed—the woman was healing her. _

_Exhausted, the druid watched as the two women bandaged her up and untied her. Those shadows around her stirred once again. Someone, or something stepped forwards, placed their hands on her hands and feet, lifting her off the bench, seemed to be ready to carry her off somewhere else. Anxiety once again grasped her fatigued mind, now where were they going…_

_The woman in red held out her arms to pause the shadows. She leaned forwards; her lips were so close to Leela's ear, she could feel her warmth breath. _

"_For love." She whispered. _

Leela released her hand abruptly and staggered backwards, nearly knocked Safiya, who stood not very far from her, off the ground. She struggled to stand still, leaning against a nearby crate and panted vigorously. Her cloak was askew, her hair was soaking wet, and her scare was twitching in pain.

"Lee!" The Red Wizard moved forward and placed her hand on her companion's shoulder: "Are…are you alright?"

The air genasi nodded absent-mindedly. She slowly sank herself to the sitting position. Fluffy crawled up to her legs. Its four eyes were written with worry.

"I'm alright, buddy." Half-smile, she pat her trusty eight legged friend.

"What just happened? You seemed to…see something when you touched that table…" Safiya knelt down, handed over the waterskin.

"I am not sure." Leela thanked her and gulped down a rather large amount of water: "I think…I think….I had just experienced some kind of vision…a memory, more like." She told her what she had seen.

"….Humph…" The Red Wizard folded her arms: "In the Plane of Shadows, memories are closer to the surface of the mind. Such visions are not uncommon, especially when a memory is strong... or suppressed."

"But I could have swore I had never been here in my life…"

"Perhaps." Said Safiya thoughtfully: " Let's just hope Lieanna has some answers when we see her, yes?"

Leela nodded and rubbed her face. With Safiya's help, she managed to stand up. They caste the bloodstained wooden table one last look, before walked towards the door that leaded to the stage slowly.

They pushed the heavy door opened, and somehow weren't surprise at all there were someone in the other room.

A young man in his late twenties stood on the middle of the stage. For a Red Wizard of Thay, he was quite nice looking. Ivory skin, statuesque feature, and hawk eyes fueled with ambition. He was surrounded by another Red Wizard, two Rinyeses and a ghastly looking mummy. Hands on his back, he glared at the duo curiously.

"Tsk, tsk. Safiya? What are you doing here?" He chuckled.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Seven- Khai Khmun**

"Arh…it's you. I thought I smell incompetence…." Sneered Safiya. She folded her arms, white faced and narrowed eyes. The Red Wizard of Thay did not seem to please to see this male Wizard the slightest.

"Another acquaintance of yours?" Leela arched her snowy eyebrow.

"…This is Khai Khmun." The Red Wizard tilted her head towards fellow Thayan's direction, introduced him with certain degree of insolence: "One of the most worthless piles of Sputum to wear the red robes of Thay."

"My, my, still a sharp tongue." Khai inclined his head and grinned wickedly: "And look at who you are with, a Windsoul genasi? Gods, you certainly are having a time of your life, aren't you, daughter of Nefris?"

"I'll take that you two aren't exactly in good terms in the Academy." Leela half-looked at her Red Wizard companion with higher raised eyebrow: "Rival of yours?"

"Him? Hells, no!" Safiya let out a sarcastic laughed: " i_He_/i is not worth it! Khai here is a sniveling sycophant! My only rivals are magicians of worth."

"Watch you mouth, Safiya!" The other Red Wizard growled: "Khmun happened to be a junior instructor in the Academy!"

"Oh, yes." Safiya scoffed: "And that, too. Although how he got to that position was….rather worth pondering. As he certainly does not have much talent in magic arena."

"We will see about that one very shortly, will we?" Khai clapped his hands: "Now, Araman always rewarded his allies well. With she died, I've just got myself a promotion. I wonder what will I get if I…bring your head back as well?"

"So this is why you strayed so far from your master. You—wait, who's i_she_/i?" It was only when Leela and Safiya noticed a large pool of blood on the floor behind the stage, with a dark and charcoal like burnt out skeleton soaking in it. The druid suddenly felt like being toppled over with a bucket full of ice. _No…that couldn't be…_

"Oh, that." Khai the Red Wizard's smug smiled deepen: "Whom do you think? Cha-cha, that old hag didn't even have the nerve to fight us! As soon as she realized she could not get away from us, she destroyed herself in a blaze of fire. What a shame, she must have known she couldn't best me."

Leela continued to stare at the remains of Lieanna for a moment before turning her icy glare at the junior Red Wizard instructor.

"Now my impression of you just slipped downhill a few degree more" The air swirl around her began to change and stirred more violently "You've better not telling me you've just murdered an innocent woman."

"Murdered? Didn't you just hear I said she torched herself? I didn't even have the chance to enjoy the pleasure of 'murdering' her." Khai arched eyebrow: "Now, I am pretty sure Master Araman warned me of you…You see, I want no trouble from you, genasi. If you can kindly step aside. My quarrel is with our lovely Safiya here. Let's see if her skill is as good as her reputation—Nefris' daughter. Though I seriously doubt she'll put up nearly as much of a fight as Lienna…or her mother."

"My… my mother?" Safiya blinked. Her face went white, her voice suddenly shaken, and fury burst out of her almond eyes almost at once: "Khai Khmun, you had best be mocking me... if you raised your hand against my mother, I will extract a thousand screams from your wretched hide!"

Khai Khmun began to laugh hysterically: "Arh, Safiya…she had no idea it was coming! She used every last cantrip she knew! But….you see, her loyal allies—her daughter, even—never arrived to save her. Isn't that depressing?"

Safiya shut her eyes tightly, with a mixture of utter disappointment, pain and grief written all over her delicate face: "……And to think you once claimed to care for me…"

"I still care for you, my sweets." Khai smiled viciously: "It just that my ambition to the top is far greater than everything. Surely you, out of all people, would understand that."

Safiya did not reply. Her hands went into fists and her whole body shook. For a moment she seemed as if she was in the verge of tears.

"Now, I think we've done enough talking here." Khai raised his hand. It was shimmering in blue light and sparks began to crackle between his fingers: "Lienna was wise to destroy herself rather than fight me. I doubt you'll have the old hag's sense to surrender - to make this quick... No matter, let's settle this!"

Two Erinyeses flapped their wings and lashed out their attacks almost immediately. In unison, Khai and the other Red Wizard waved their hands with elegant arch, murmured some syllables and caste protective shield spells on themselves, before sending showers of fireball on the top of Leela and her companion. Quick as a flash, Safiya's hands glow in silvery lights, small shielding charms spanned from her palms, blocking several fireballs near her and Leela. The air genasi flied several daggers at the Erinyeses, while holding her Short Sword inversely and stabbing the mummy snuck up at her back.

"Fluffy!" The druid shouted. Without further command, the giant spider got the message. Several squirts of webs threw towards the Red Wizards and the Erinyeses, entangled them temporarily. It proceeded on jumped and launched itself onto one of them, slicing its pincers through their body repeatedly.

Meteors clashing down from above, sent everything shaking and burning—Saifya had just caste a Meteor Swarm spell. Now in total rage, she yelled out another set of syllables, flying several purple magic missiles towards Khai. His protective shield blocked a few of them before wearing off. He staggered backwards and cursed loudly. His hand reached out and several icicles shot towards her. The daughter of Nefris blocked of his attack with a mere hand wave.

The whirling wind around Leela became intense. She flipped backwards, avoided the spears heading at her direction. The air genasi then back to her feet, sprung around and high kicked one Erinyes right on the stomach, sending the creature slide across the stage and landed on the top of the hay bales below. She strode across the stage, wrenched the sword from the now charred mummy body and attacked the other Erinyes. The Erinyes snarled and caste some fire spells at her. They bounced off against Safiya's defensive shield.

The druid's lips moved silently. An intense light circle emitted from the far end of the theatre. Smoke began to surge above the circle. A dire bear appeared. It waved its heavy claws and bashed at the male Red Wizard. He couldn't get away fast enough.

Large clouds gathered above them and soon lightening followed, clashing and hitting everything in its path. Then acid rain started pouring down on them, sending enemies screaming in pain and dodging for cover. Safiya smiled in triumph as Khai writhing around the ground, roaring in agony as the poison liquid burnt through his robe.

"Nice touch." Leela stabbed her dagger into the Erinyes' chest and nodded at her companion: "What was that you just did?"

"'Storm of Vengeance'." The Red Wizard's face was glowing with certain degree satisfaction: "This is for my mother, Khmun!"

Khai Khmun rolled around. His red robe was now battered with holes. Shaking, he slowly dragged himself to the sitting position and glared at his former colleague. There was something flicker in his eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched. He slowly raised his hand and mumbled something under his breath. Two rays of light beamed around him. It soon became clear that he had just summoned two more Undeads. They stumbled onto their feet. Skin rotted and some actually started to peel off. They glared at the druid with a strange glow in their eyes—something evil, something magical, no doubt. The creatures opened their toothless mouth and shriek. Leela covered her ears. Gods how could the corpse made such a loud noise like that?

Webs squirted past her shoulders and landed directly on the top of the creatures. Hanging from the silk it has just spun, Fluffy swung past them and across the stage. It lunched itself on the top of the Undeads. It took the arachnid less than 10 minutes to silence their ear-piercing shriek and dissemble them in one fluid motion.

"Nicely done, Fluffy!" Leela shouted.

Spells whooshed past her ears. She sprung around and noticed both Red Wizards had got back to their feet. The Undeads were merely a distraction, buying them time to regain strength. Both with hands in the air, they caste multiple spells, one after the other, towards the druid and her companion, including summon two more mummy lords, one Erinyes and one dire bear. This was slightly unexpected. The air genasi and the Red Wizard only had little time to react.

Without thinking, Leela stretched her arms wide, fingers tightly stretched. A cool surge of wind rushed through her body and burst out of her fingertips. The swirling air around her became more irregular and violent. They spin faster and faster, expanding the covering area as they speed. Soon the entire theatre was within its radius. The strong Gale made nearly everyone struggling to stand, let alone moving. Hay bales were flying and spinning in the air. Seizing the opportunity, Safiya uttered the now familiar syllables. Meteors once again showered upon them. Suddenly, the whole chamber was full of the sound of twirling wind, the vibration of ground shattering, the smells of fire burning through the flesh, screaming and shrieking of their enemy in agonizing pain. When the commotion around them finally settled, neither Khai Khmun nor his allies were moved.

Fluffy ascended from the ceiling, slowly crawled between the enemies, checking if they were still breathing. It's pincers waved up and down, finishing up those who stirred but too weak to fight back.

Panting and covered in sweat, the druid lowered her hands and slowly walked towards the junior instructor's dead body. The male Red Wizard's handsome feature no longer responded to his surroundings. His lifeless eyes glared somewhere in front of him blankly, unfocused and emotionless. His mouth was slightly open, with a trickle of blood streamed out of the corner.

"I always assumed Khai's ambition would get him killed…but I didn't think it would be my hand…" Said Safiya abruptly. She appeared by Leela's side and stared at her dead former colleague. Her face returned to her usual serene and calm.

"How did you know him, anyway?"

"Oh, that." Safiya grunted: "He was once….very friendly to me. It was only later I learned the only reason he was doing so was because I was Nefris daughter. Didn't I tell you back at the Barrow there weren't any true friend in the Thay, everyone approached everyone for a reason? Our Academy is actually one of the better one… but still..." She took a deep breath: "No matter… he will not be missed."

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"I will be alright." The Red Wizard smiled rather sadly: "Given a bit of time, everything always turns out alright."

"…He mentioned about your mother." Leela turned and looked at her companion: "I'm sorry."

The Red Wizard let out an frustrating sigh: "I can only hope he said that just to unsettle me. I shouldn't…. shouldn't give him the pleasure of getting so angry."

"But it's your mother he was talking about." Leela examined the Essence she had just loot from the dead Erinyes' body: "It's only natural."

"…Thank you." Safiya smirked, but her chest was quickly fallen: "But if he's telling the truth… I... I should never have left the Academy when I did. My mother, Nefris - she has the respect of the other wizards, but not their love... Had the situation been reversed—had someone harmed me, her wrath would have been... merciless. I will grieve for my mother by finding Araman... and crushing him."

"Well, looks like he's going to answer a lot of question, if we manage to find him." Leela grinned: "Now I started to wonder why would they want this Lieanna woman dead as well…. Khai Khmun and that necromancy student both mentioned his name…"

"Yes." Safiya nodded.

"You said he was a professor, or an instructor or some sort in the Academy…"

"Yes." The Red Wizard of Thay took out a small pouch and a pair of scissor-like tool from her backpack; the air genasi knew at once her companion was about to combine the Essence they had just collected again: "He's a rather quiet tutor. Soft-spoken, He spent most of his time hiding in the library. We hardly aver changed more than one words per year. Now come to think of it, he's the perfect candidate of starting a coup."

"Oh?" The druid gathered Fluffy into her arms, letting it crawled up onto her shoulders, while watching Safiya waved the scissor, combining the Violant Essences into Brilliant ones.

"If he voiced his discontent about my mother, do you think he will be in the Academy today, scheming a coup at all? No, I don't think so. Always the quiet one that's unexpected." Safiya held up the Brilliant Essence and admired it more closely.

"More here, mistress!" Squeaked Kaji.

"Oh, thank you." The Red Wizard smiled at her familiar warmly: "At any rate, I think he sending Khai here is a brilliant one."

"What, knowing you probably would appeared at any given point and killed him? That's completely waste of effort, isn't it?" They gave the blood puddle one last look, before slowly walking back to the portal.

"No, it's not. Khai was just a pawn." Safiya shook her head: "I don't think he would care about losing someone like that. A bit of sacrifice goes a long way. But manipulating someone who was ambitious but no brain into assisting him was quite an achievement. Humph…"

"…I'm still curious why someone wanted this Lienna woman dead." Leela pondered.

"Why indeed." The Red Wizard slid her pack back to her back: "Lienna is nowhere near our Academy. Somehow her association with my mother must have been very important. Or Araman wouldn't waste all the trouble sending someone here to kill her…"

"Well, we can't really ask her anymore, so let's not dwell on that." The air genasi shrugged in front of the Shadow Portal: "I suggest we might as well head back to Mulsantir to see if we can find anything."

"Yes. Someone must know something that we don't." Safiya nodded in agreement: "Perhaps…that Magda lady will know something. She seems to know an awful lot."

"Humph…" Leela stared at the Portal before her: "I really, really hate going past this thing."

"Make you feel nauseated, isn't it?" Safiya smirked as she watched her companion slid an arm into the dark, smoky clouds.

"Indeed." The druid made a funny face before took a deep breath and dived through the Portal…..

_"Do I have to go through that?" Bishop groaned as they stood in front of the Song Portal over the hilltop. He was surrounded by Neeshka, Zeeaire and Leela. It was a beautiful sunset: the crimson sky, the gentle evening breeze, and flower pedals showered over them. Nearby, trees sweep against the wind. Several birds passed by, in the hurry to return their nest. Owls started making their sounds in the woods. Daegun had always told her if you get a brilliant sunset like this, it almost guarantee a fine weather the next day. Nature's own way of foretelling the future, you see._

_However, none of the druid's companion seemed to be enjoyed the scenery._

"_Well, hurry the bloody up!" Neeshka the tiefling stomped her feet, her tail flapped impatiently: "Don't be a pussy!"_

"_What did you just call me?" Bishop shot her a side glare: "Hells, do you have any idea how unpleasant this is? It's like your worst hangover, ever—waking up feeling like being beaten by half a dozen of Circle of Blade recruits and toss down from the top of the Host Tower. I hate this thing."_

"_Don't we all." Neeshka rolled her eyes: "Well, if you want to go to the ruin on foot, be my guest. But let me warn you, grunty-arse, at this rate, by the time we got there, the King of Shadows probably had taken the entire Toril."_

"_Ha, ha, ha, very funny. I got the idea, thank you very much." Bishop retorted: "I swear to Gods, one more Portal after this is over, I will personally smash it into pieces, historical significance or not. I prefer to walk. And if I want to go anywhere in a hurry, I will go by horse." _

_Leela tried her hardest to hide her grin, while slid her hand over his and gave him a quick squeeze. Bishop jerked his head around and gave her an annoyance look, but one side of his mouth twitched up slightly. _

"_Oh, well, alright then. " He took a deep breath: "Let's get this over and done with quickly, shall we?"  
_


	8. Chapter 8

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Eight- Mulsantir Prison**

_Another clear night. The moon rose high above the dark velvet blue sky, among the thousand sparkling stars. Trees whispered in the wind. Smell of dry hays in the air. Despite the cricket clicking, the dog barking, and the owl hooting in the woods, the land was sound asleep, exhausted from all the commotions during the day._

_Chin rested on her knees; Leela sit on the roof of the watchtower, watching the lamp along the road flickered in the distance. Below, the soldier exchanged shift. Their armour clanged as they stepped away from the wall. Having just returned from the high mountain Mount Galardrym this morning, she was terribly exhausted. Yet somehow she could not sleep. _

"_Arh, there you are." A sudden hoarse voice croaked, disturbing the silence around her. The druid jerked her head around and saw the dark ranger stood nearby. _

"_Hi." She grinned slightly, watching him sit down next to her. He reached out his hand and gently kneaded her silvery long braided hair. The air genasi tilted her head and eyes half-closed, seemingly enjoyed his touch._

"_I've got something for you." He whispered. _

_Leela raised her eyebrow queryingly. Bishop took off his backpack, yanked the drawstring open and carefully took out something inside. It was a rather large, long parcel, carefully wrapped in a piece of finely weaved fabric. _

"_What is it?"_

"_Well, why don't you open it and find out?" Bishop urged._

_The air genasi obeyed. She gingerly tugged and untied the knot that secured the parcel. It was a longbow. Made of unknown wood and blue-lacquered to perfection, the bow was beautifully carved and written with rune. It was humming and shimmering in a fainted blue light. She reached out her hand and caressed the weapon tentatively. After admiring the craftsmanship for a while, her tinted blue eyes moved from the bow to its giver._

"_A Drow-made longbow? With magical property?" Her voice was thick with awe: "Where did you get this?"_

" '_Forever'." Bishop's glare did not move from the druid: "Found it in Deekin's shop. He's been carrying it with his pile of treasures since the Underdark. According to the kobold, this is an Arcane weapon. Able to shot flaming arrows without charging. It took some convincing for him to be departed with this lovely piece." _

"_It was beautiful." Leela gushed: "Thank you."_

"_Arh…now you have no excuse not learning how to use one." The dark ranger blushed slightly. He looked away for a while, suddenly took profound interest on two guard chatting happily just below them. _

"_I see." The air genasi smiled: "Perhaps we can start with some…normal ones. Don't really want to torch this Keep, yes?" _

"_That will be too kind for our friend Black Garius." Bishop chuckled. His gazed were on her again. The corner of his mouth twitched, he leaned over, gloved hand gently brushed against her cheek, and kissed her lips softly…._

Leela stood in front of the weapon rack and gaped at the familiar blue longbow with certain degree of belief. They were back to the Mulsantir's market, doing a relaxing stroll in the mid afternoon Sun. Stopped by browsing one of the newly arrived merchant's stall, the druid saw the weapon once belong to her.

They had emerged from the Veil Theatre for some time. Almost as soon as they pushed the heavy door opened, they were greeted by three masked women, who Safiya informed her were Wychlaran, the Witches of the Rashemen. True ruler of the Rashemen, the hathrans went on telling them that the bear god they thought they've killed was now outside the city gate with a large spirit army, demanded the city to hand over the druid. Thinking the city was under siege all because of her, they refused point blank to allow Leela and her companion to see the dwarven lady Magda, who they took refuge, unless Okku is being dealt with. The air genasi had a feeling the only reason they didn't kill her on sight or simply handed her over to the leader of the spirit army as sacrifice was because she just rid the Red Wizards in the Veil Theatre for them.

Leela had no choice but to agree to face Okku. The three witches appeared to be satisfied. Before they left, they permitted the druid to check with the local prison recruit anyone who was willing to assist them in battle, saying whoever helped them will be granted full pardon.

"Shall we go to the prison now?" Asked Safiya as they watched the Wychlaran teleported themselves away, disappeared into the thin air.

"Nop. We were in that damn Shadow Plane whole day. I'm hungry. Food first." The air genasi sprung around and headed towards the market. She nearly walked straight into someone who stood in front of her.

They were two wing-humans—half-celestials. They overheard the entire conversation Leela and the three witches had and were willing to offer their assistance, if the druid could do something in exchange—to find their sister Kaelyn the Dove in the Shadow Mulsantir. Apparently she has been in there for months, searching for something in the Dead God's Vault.

"Dove?" Leela frowned: "She named after some animals?"

"Our siblings—they are five, including Kaelyn - are known as 'the Menagerie'." One of the half-celestials, who introduced himself as Efrem the Stag, explained patiently: "We adopt the titles of noble creatures out of respect for nature. The Menagerie has long traveled together, led by our eldest sister. But since Kaelyn was exiled from our grandfather's court in Celestia, we have been distraught."

"Please help us." The other one, the female half-celestial called Susah the Crow, begged: "We are running out of hope. We've been in this city for days and we have no clue where the Shadow Portal even is. Shadow Portal is—"

"Yeah, I know, the door to the Shadow Plane. " The druid shook her head: ". Have to go back to the Shadow Plane…..Oh, Gods…"

"Well, we do really need some allies to fight with us." Safiya pat her shoulder and whispered in the low tone: "Perhaps we can go back a bit later, after getting some food and look into this prison place?"

The air genasi stared ahead for a long while and finally gave in: "Alright. We will go find the sister of yours as soon as we are able."

The two half-celestials were overjoyed. They hug the druid and her companion; nearly squeeze the air completely out of their lung, before finally leaving them alone.

"Right, where were we?" Safiya smirked: "Food. Still fancy roast squirrel?"

They headed back to the traven. After having the biggest meal they have in two days, they returned to the market square, thinking of stacking up some supply before paying the prison their visit.

It was when Leela spotted the bow.

"………Where did you get this?" She snapped her head up and asked the Dwarven merchant.

"Found it among the abandon bandit camp in the woods, my lady." Bowed the merchant: " That area was infested with Lizardfolks. Those damn things disappeared for a while a few years back. Rumor has it something evil drove them away. I was told they tried to take over Highcliff at one stage. You know Highcliff, my lady? Highcliff at the Sword Coast? "

Leela nodded absent-mindedly. Of course she knew Highcliff, the beautiful small seaside village. Poppies danced in the wind, waves gently bashed against the gray rock, sails hoisted up against the wind in the sunset, children giggled, chasing each other in the cornfield, and sailor sang drunken ballad under the moonlight….

"Well, they started returning again recently." The merchant grunted: "Not particularly good for folks like me. Had to pay some bodyguards to get all the way here. Lost two in the last trip. Bleeding hells, if you ask me."

"How much is this one?" The air genasi waved the longbow.

"30,000 gold."

"What? That's absurd!" Those spirits outside the gate could probably hear Leela's voice: "You charge something you loot from the dead body that much?"

"We both know that's not a normal longbow, my lady." The Dwarf wagged his finger: "I've got someone have a proper look of that thing when I was in Neverwinter. Arcane weapon. You don't come across something like that everyday."

"But..but I don't have that much gold on me…" The druid stuttered.

"Well, then." The merchant snatched the longbow back. Suddenly Leela's hands feel terribly cold and empty: "Your lost."

"No, please—"

"Here." Safiya chimed in. She handed over the merchant something. Something wrapped carefully in the deerskin: "Will this do?"

The Dwarven Merchant untied the knot and his bearded face instantly glowing with delight: "Spirit Essence? And the best quality ones I've ever seen in years! Of course this will do, my lady."

"You don't need to feel oblige to tell me anything." The Red Wizard of Thay smiled at Leela as they walked away from the Dwarven Merchant, the longbow, Forever, nicely tugged at the druid's back.

"…Thank you." The air genasi stared at her feet.

"Your welcome." Safiya gave Leela a warm smile before turning her attention ahead: "Now…this must be the prison the Wychlaran were talking about."

She came into a halt and stared at the tall structure at the end of the road. Like the wall surrounded Mulsantir, it was build with stone. The granite was blacken and worn. There were some weeds poking out between gaps here and there. Several large dusty banners bear Mulsantir emblem draped from the top of the towers. The execution platform stood gloomily at the corner.

The approached the large heavy timber door and knocked the heavy metal ring bolted on the wooden surface. An old lady answered the door. She, like the three witches they just encountered, also wore a mask.

She seemed to know who they were immediately: "My name is Tirzah the Old. Arh….it's you."

"You know who we are?" Leela frowned.

"Of course." Tirzah shot them an icy cold, top-to-toe glare: "As you have disturb the spirit, you also disturb _me_. What's your business here?"

"Arm… the Wychlaran told us we could find help here…" The druid scratched her head: "against the spirit army."

"Help? From this lot?" The old witch arched her eyebrow: "Trust in their "help" and you'll find yourself aloe when trouble comes. Gods, sometimes I wonder what was in their mind….well, alright, come in and speak to them, if you with to persist this foolishness." She stood aside and let them in.

The air genasi thanked the hathran and entered. The dim room had no window. Damp mildew and unknown odors filled their nose. It was terribly cold, even with a cast iron chimenea burning in the middle of the chamber. She did a quick scan around the area. There were four units: two holding cells and two solitary confinements. Both holding cells were occupied, one confinement was vacant and one was not.

"Those two," Tirazh pointed at the prisoners in the holding cells: "You can go ahead and ask. There's no need to fear. But that one over there," She pointed at the door at the other end of the chamber: "Be warned…i _guard_ /i your thought!"

"What do you mean _guard_ your thought?" Safiya's tattooed eyebrows were in knots.

"You will see." The old witch returned to her table, inspecting the scrolls laying on the surface.

Leela turned her attention to the first prisoner. He looked like a combination of orcs and something else. Definitely one of the scariest things she had ever seen, the being had greenish, rough looking skin and brutish feature. Gods must be in quite a bad mood when creating his kind.

"Safiya…" The druid tilted her head slightly towards her companion and whispered: "What is he?"

"Hagspawn." Said the Red Wizard in low tone: "They are the sons of hags and human males. They are quite common in Rashemen, really. You know what hags are, do you?"

"_Hags, a variety of horrible monstrous humanoids, resembling an exceedingly aged woman. Rarely seen along the Sword Coast but are common in the wilds of Rashemen. Different hags have different appearance and mannerism. Some of the known variety to date are: Annis, Green hag, Bheur, and Night hag…." Leela's finger ran through the battered scroll and read the script out loud: "Fascinating creatures, aren't they?"_

"_Oh, indeed." Sand raised his eyebrow but did not peel his gaze from whatever he was looking at. He was reading some tomes of arcane spells at the other end of the table. The flickering lamplight illuminated his porcelain facial feature, made him looks almost surreal. _

"_Have you seen one of those?" Asked the air genasi._

"_The Arcane Brotherhood captured one once." The moon elf's piercing blue eyes glared at her briefly and returned to his tomes: "My lady, chances are you will never encounter one in your entire life. Find something else useful. A spell, perhaps."_

"_I, myself think otherwise." Grobnar clapped his hand enthusiastically: "Oh, my. Hags. They are fascinating, indeed. Rumor has it that there was whole coven of them somewhere in the Rashemen. Whole coven of hags! Imagine that! Would that be wonderful to meet them, I wonder?" _

"_Yes, if you want to be the lovely snack of these hideous creature, go ahead." Snapped the wizard: "Gnome. Arh…typical."_

"_Oh, never mind him." Laughed the gnome cheerfully: "Do they have illustration on the script of yours? They do? Oh, how wonderful. Mind if I have a look?"_

Leela nodded. Of course she did.

The hagspawn starred at them with certain degree of curiosity. The air genasi introduced herself and her purpose visiting the prison. Unexpectedly, he refused point-blank to assist them battling the spirit in any way, claiming their reach and memories were long.

"Am not going to risk my hide out there. No freedom can replace that." He gave them a meaningful side-glare.

The second one was a human. Having overheard everything between the hagspawn and her, he turned down the druid's offer before she even opened her mouth. He, too, considered the price for freedom was far to great for him to bear.

Leela sighed.

Now there was only one left.

They slowly walked towards the door at the other end of the room. It was when the air genasi noticed the strange marking all over the wooden panel and the boulder frame.

"Spells…" She mumbled: "In Rashemi, perhaps? ….I wonder what are those…"

"I can't recognise them, either." The Red Wizard rubbed her chin: "Strange. Why does this particular room need a spell caste upon its door? Wouldn't normal locks do?"

"Those spells aren't harmful trap of any kind, mistress." Kaji squeaked: "It will not do any harm on us."

"Thank you, Kaji" Safiya grinned towards her familiar: "I guess there is only one way to find out." She withdrew her staff: "Ready when you are, Lee."

Leela carefully opened the door.

There were more spells scrapping on the floor inside. They were very similar to those summoning circle Black Garius used to draw in the Keep's basement, which Ammon Jerro took over and used when a demon or devil's aide was needed. But this certainly wasn't a summoning circle. Why would someone want to summon something inside a prison cell? This was something else.

Then the druid noticed the person sit within the circle.

He had the most impressive deep blue eyes Leela had ever seen. Like her, he also appeared in blue colour, but perhaps a few shades darker. His hair was long and in shimmering silvery blue, covered half of his statuesque feature. Like some Rashemi she had encountered, he was also dress in fur. He looked like a hagspawn, and yet he was so different to the one they had just conversed with outside. His eyes gleamed as he spot his visitor entering the room. His eyebrow arched, and the sarcastic grin on his face deepened.

"Oh, hello." He scanned the duo from top to toe. His voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of playful tone: "What's this? An air genasi? Gods, they really spoiled me. Sending more jailers rattled my cage, I see. I was about to slip into a rather pleasant and relaxing dream, now you come and spoiled it."

Both Leela's snowy eyebrows nearly reached the ceiling. She starred at the man in front of her with the look of beyond disbelief. The druid certainly did not expect someone like this in a prison cell.

"Alright…" She looked at the prisoner suspiciously: "Who are you?"

"I am Gannayev. Gannayev of Dreams." He bowed.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N** It's hard to do this chapter as Gann dialogue in game was so reach and funny, I had a hard time chopping some off. Hope you guys enjoy._

** The Beast Within**

** Chapter Nine- The Dreamer**

Leela stared at Gannayev, unsure what to make of him. He did not behave like the others in the prison, who behaved rather grim and depressed, as if their life was doom indefinitely. In fact, it seemed to her as if he had a time of his life within that small confinement. Now he looked back at her in a rather curious manner. Head tilted at one side, one eyebrow arched, eyes twinkled, and a mysterious smile hung on his face. All the time, he remained sitting cross leg inside the spell circle with one hand rested under his chin.

"So what say you?" Gannayev grinned: "You are a jailer, or an admirer?"

"……I am not your jailer." Said the air genasi slowly, with certain degree of hesitancy.

"Oh, so you are my admirer then."

"Not quite." Leela remained gazing at the blue hagspawn: "…But….

"But?"

"But I might be your benefactor." Now she wasn't really sure where she got that one from.

"Oh?" The prisoner chuckled: "Why, honey words from the other side of the cage. And in what tune must I sing in return, I wonder? Whatever wards and locks bind this prison, I think clever words are the key to unlocking them. Go on, I am listening to your offer... my 'benefactor'. "

The druid folded her arms and tilted her head. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her: "…Sorry, your name's?"

"Gannayev, Gannayev of Dreams."

"Dreams?"

"He's a dreamwalker." Safiya leaned towards Leela, tugged the druid's sleeve and whispered: "Perhaps due to his lineage."

"So he's a hagspawn?" Leela arched her eyebrow: "But…he's blue! And the one we saw outside was..well…greenish looking."

"That one was probably from a Green Hag lineage. This one…" The Red Wizard gave Gannayev, who was still grinning mildly at them, a side glare: "I think is from a Night Hag, which has the ability to walk in dreams."

"Oh."

"Ladies, I am right here, you know." Gannayev the dreamwalker clicked his tongue: "Please do not pretend I am not exist."

Leela's lashed eyes returned to him once again: "….What crime exactly have you been jailed for?"

" Urh…curious, isn't it?" Gannayev laughed slightly, slowing brought himself to his feet and brushed off the dust on his shirt: "My crime, you see, is a serious one. I am too _handsome_ to look upon."

"Wh—what?!" The air genasi's eyebrows shot up. She could not believe what she just heard: "You what?"

"Is that such a surprise? It would not be the first time I have had to place myself behind bars to keep admirers at bay." Gannayev shrugged, continuing his sarcastic and mockery tone: "Are you sure you are not admirer?"

"No."

"Such a shame" Gannayev gave the druid a full teeth grin: "I was about to suggest you wait in line like the rest. You know, I may be a 'criminal', but I demand that visitors observe a certain decorum in my presence—otherwise _chaos_ ensues."

For the first time since she woke up from the Barrow, Leela laughed—a whole-hearted hard belly laugh. It was contagious. Soon Safiya started laughing, too. Ended up both of them were in stitches, while the blue hagspawn stood in front of them with a smug smile on his face, seemed enjoying his achievement.

"Good Gods." The druid was finally able to straighten up, wiping tears off the corner of her eyes: "You are unbelievable."

"Why, thank you." Gannayev inclined his head: "Now, this banter is delightful, but you did not just come here to have this lovely chat with me, do you?"

"No, actually…." Leela took a step forward. Suddenly her attention was distracted by the markings on the floor: "…did you do this?"

"Do what?"

"This." She pointed at the ward circle on the floor.

"Oh, that." Gannayev tipped his head, seemed only just notice his surroundings: "Humph…you know what, I don't really know. How did it get here? Did some child come by with a handful of chalk and scrawl them there?"

"Child?" The air genasi inspected the markings more carefully. She slowly moved around towards the other side of the room: "…Initially, perhaps. Considering the skill… But…oh, this is seriously good work."

"What good work?" Safiya walked across the room and inspected the area Leela was looking at.

"See this here? And there?" Leela pointed at the markings on the floor: " The flourish and strokes are different. This was done by a different person. A counter spell…someone altered them once they were scribed…from the inside."

"Hey, it is, too!" The Red Wizard was impressed: " Wow, I hadn't notice that. I had thought they were intended as reversals of binding wards... but you are correct. How did you know that?"

"….Let's just say and old friend of mine taught me about those when I was—" The air genasi remembered Ammon Jerro, and their hours of studying runes in the basement.

"At the Keep?"

"Yes."

Sparks beamed from Gannayev's deep blue eyes. He tilted his chin slightly higher and looked at them with renew interest. The blue hagspawn seemed rather surprised his visitor discovered this.

"A mystery, indeed." He slowly nodded: "Who do you think of altering them? Not me, I hope. I had an alibi."

"Not you? Such a shame." Answered Leela absently, still tried to figure out the wards on the stone floor: "If it was you, you are extremely skilled with runes and wards."

Gannayev's smile deepened: "Am I now? Arh, the sweet arrows of flattery have found their target." He placed his hands on his chest.

"Flatterer." Commented Safiya. But the blue hagspawn seemed to ignore it.

"So what exactly are you two here for? If I may ask?" Asked Gann playfully, but his eyes were down right serious: "I am not a reader-of-mind, you know, can't really guess."

"I am looking for recruits to protect Mulsantir. The Wychlaran granted freedom for those who aid." Finally withdrew her eyes from the wards on the floor, the druid replied.

"Oh?" Gannayev's sapphire eyes narrowed slightly: "Seeking soldiers, are you? You have come to the wrong cell, my sweet. I am neither foolhardy nor desperate enough to fight barbarians or Thayans. Go find a poorhouse and scatter a few coppers—_that_ might yield better results."

"That's odd." Leela folded her arms: "All of you said the same thing. What about freedoms? Don't you want to get out of here?"

"What impression did I give you indicated I don't like my surroundings?" Gannayev shifted his weight from one foot to the other: "Let me assure you, I like here just fine. It's probably safer than this town will be when the army of spirits arrives.

"You know about the spirit?" The air genasi was surprised.

"Arh," Gannayev's eyes twinkled: "Now, now…knowing and telling are two different beasts…and the bear god, he's a third."

"Holy Gods, you know about the bear god, too?" Safiya was gobsmacked: "How much do you actually know? No wonder that old witch out there wanted us to be cautious about you!"

The hagspawn prisoner inspected Leela from head to toe grinning, all teeth: "Did she tell you that? Why, I must thank her in person for putting up the good words when the opportunity arose. As for you, my sweet, if I may say, you are rather brave to marshal an army to meet them. That's no 'ordinary' band of spirits out there, you know. That's a hornet's nest of beasts. They are screaming for blood so loudly I can hear them in my dreams—"

His words trailed off. Seemed suddenly realizing something, his back went taut. The mocker expression evaporated into the thin air.

"They are after _you_, are they?"

"Yes." The druid nodded.

"What did you do? Rubbed his grave? Please don't tell me you did that, my sweet?"

Leela did not answer, nor attempt to explain. It wasn't a short story, and she had never been good at putting a long story into a nutshell, particularly when she wasn't even sure most of it. With the limit time she had in hand at the moment, she didn't think there is even enough for a story in the nutshell.

"Come on, entertain me, brave one." Gannayev's eyes glared at her, almost burnt a whole on her body: "Why would one such as I follow you into such a hopeless battle?"

The air genasi looked at the hagspawn's handsome face, suddenly something playful jumped into her mind. Doing this to a near complete stranger was way out of her league. Neeshka would be more suitable saying something like this. But her tiefling friend was not here and she seriously doubted Safiya would say anything more creative. She gotta gave it a try.

"Because," She tilted her chin higher, with the corner of her mouth twitched slightly up: "in all the time I've been here, you haven't asked me to leave. I think there is a reason, is there?"

Gannayev began to laugh. His laughter, surprisingly, didn't sound like a half-fiend. It was a rather pleasant, soft and gentle laugh: "Tsk, tsk…Careful, my sweet, or they will throw _you_ in here for being charming and well-spoken, too—even if you aren't _quite_ as beautiful as I am."

Safiya next to her began to roll her eyes and muttering something in audible.

"Humph…" When Gannayev finally calmed down, the mischievous hint at the back of his eyes returned again: "I must admit, both your presence and your request intrigue me. Slightly. But that's slight more than most."

"I see. I will take that as a compliment. A _slight_ compliment." Leela caste the hagspawn a humorous smile: "I will take that you decided to help us, yes?"

Gannayev chuckled: "An excellent rebuttal. I think this bodes well for our travels. And yes, you have a willing soldier at your side. Shall we be off?"

Tirzah's face was absolutely scandalized as soon as they emerged from the solitary confinement with the hagspawn: "You let….out of all people we have here….you let him help you?"

"Cha-cha, at last," Gannayev's arms stretched: "my eyes fall again upon your beauty, my matron of the cell. How are you faring?"

The old witch glared at him with disgust and…unless Leela was very much mistaken, fear?

"This one is cursed for taking you, spawn of hags," She growled: "I shall be glad to be rid of you. Nothing but trouble for me, for this city, you are."

"What exactly did he do?" Leela frowned.

Tirzah the Old blurted a serious of words that did not make any sense to her ears. The bewilderment on her face deepened. She looked at Safiya helplessly, seeking for her explanation.

"Rashemi tongue," Safiya shook her head and sighed: "Not very pleasant words, I don 't think you want to know."

"My, my, my dear matron, why embarrassed yourself in front of our two lovely guest?" Gannayev chuckled: "_Shall_ you be glad to be rid of me, beautiful? Do not think I did not see the longing eyes you cast at me as you drew your runed circles on the floor of my cell."

The old Wychlaran's face went beetroot. Leela was in absolute shocking state, certainly did not expect these kind of gossip, while Safiya turned her head around, suddenly developed some interest on a cobble web in the corner.

"You were the one who draw those wards?" The air genasi blurted out. Who would have known…

"What lies are these?" The old lady waved her arms about, with more what Leela assumed unpleasant Rashemi followed: "Eyes of shame are the only eyes I have for you! Shame!"

Gannayev simply laughed, unmoved and entertained by the embarrassing situation he had caused: "Tsk, tsk. Now, now, there is no need to mask the feelings I stir in you, and your age but makes you seem wrinkled like a prunefruit. I see what dances in your thoughts as you dream the slow hours of the day here away in this prison."

"How—don't you dare…"

The hagspawn stared at the witch mischievously, eyes glittered: "….In the golden woods of Urling, you once sang for an hour a hymn to the Sun and dreamed that it was a shield carried by a warrior who watch over you."

"Stop! S—"

"And such _passion_ in that song." Gannayev places both of his hands on his chest, as if he was totally smitten: "Why, if gives you strength even now…"

"Curse you, dreamwalker!" Tirzah glared at the hagspawn: "The tales of you all speak such, and many are those you wound with your arrowflight of words and humour. Do not think us deaf to those who suffer because of your careless footsteps in their thoughts and dreams."

"So that's what your kind do?" Asked Leela: "sneak into people's dream?"

"You make it sounds like it is a bad thing." Gannayev caste her a side-glance: "Only those who has laid down the paths for me to stroll, like our old mother here. Arh…_such_ thoughts in a woman your age, it would put even a farmer's fiery-loined daughter to shame…."

Leela could swear she could see smokes coming out of Tirzah's head. She shrieked in such a high pitch noise, it was a wonder why the wall haven't collapsing: "You….damn you! You are a THIEF, a TWISTER OF WORDS! Go! Piss off meeting the spirit army, then. You will not have my blessing upon you, now or ever!"

"Oh..I am heart broken, my dear matron!" Gannayev burst out laughing. His face was glowing with delight and joy. The laughter remained echoing inside her head, for a long, long time.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Beast Within**

** Chapter Ten- The Death God's Vault**

Two shadows like creatures, taller than a house, each had limbs longed pass their knees and hands as big as small shields, leaped from the darkness. Their eyes glowed with ghastly dim blue lights, sending chills down your entire body when they looked straight into your eyes. Their obsidian skins were as smooth as wax, and yet did not illuminate any lights cast upon them. Like something conjured out of the shadows, they waved their giant arms and bashed their target with full force. Behind them, was a large stone tower carved with runes and murals. Several large banners embroidered with dark skulls swung silently between poles surrounding the tower. Right above its weighty wooden door, a giant skeleton hovered over them. It set with its arms opened, as if welcoming whoever that was came before it. Its jaw slightly opened, which the air genasi imagined it was smiling.

Welcome to Shadow Mulsantir, welcome to the Death God's Vault.

They had spent nearly two days combing through the entire city to find another Shadow Portal. The Veil Theatre one Safiya and Leela went through only leaded them to a locked door, so they have to try their luck to see if there was another one around. It wasn't exactly a local tourist attraction or significant landmark, no one would have a clue what exactly they were after, or where those damn things were. Not that people in Mulasntir would likely to help, either. Most of the shops or houses were shut or locked up because of the siege outside the gate. The remaining citizen either stared at them with certain degree of curiosity, or hurried past them and avoided eye contact completely. The latter, which the druid suspected, was due to Gannayev.

What crime was the blue hagspawn in jail for? Leela was curious. She watched Gannayev smiled vaguely towards people around him. Did he care those people treated him that way? He was a Rashemi, wasn't he? Why would people still behave like he was a outsider around him?

"Gannayev," She finally asked when a farmer in the market quickly ushered his daughter, who blinked at the hagspawn with intense interest, away with certain degree of disgust on his face: "Why do the Rashemi have…such strong reactions to you? Aren't you a Rashemi?"

"Born and breed here." A hint of sadness flew through Gannayev's face. The dreamwalker gave the farmer's daughter a wink before turned his attention back to the druid: " But I am a hagspawn."

"Is that supposed to make a difference?" Leela was bewildered.

"Lee," Safiya sprung her head around and intercepted their conversation: "Hagspawn in this nation aren't exactly the very welcome kind."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because of their linage. Hags are a female only race. If you are born female, lovely, hags will welcome you back to their clan when you coming of age. If you are male, you don't usually have that kind of privilege." The Red Wizard explained.

"What's wrong with the males?" The air genasi's eyebrow arched.

"Because handsome hagspawns are hard to find." The corner of Gannayev's mouth curved up: "Most sons of hags are brute and only slightly more intelligent than Orcs. You will need certain aptitude and appearance to lure the opposite of sex to your nest, do you? Not that I am not smart, I happened to be the most handsome and cleverest person you've encountered in your lifetime."

"Oh, is that so?" Leela glared at him, with eyebrow arched further up.

"Oh, yes." The hagspawn's deep blue eyes twinkled: "Beauty can be a burden, you see."

"Is that why they lock you in jail for? Just that?"

"I am afraid, yes." Gannayev folded his arms. His azure eyes continued to look into hers with increased intensity. There was something lurking beyond those glittering sparks. Loneliness? Sorrow? The crease between Leela's snowy brows deepen. She could not quite make out what it was. Or perhaps he was glancing into what's beyond her eyes? Her pain? Her sorrows? Her past? Suddenly felt like she was being invaded in some way, Leela jerked her head away, broke off the glare between the two.

"Perhaps…we should ask the witches." Gannayev cleared his throat.

They located the three witches at the Temple of the Three, who reluctantly gave them the rough location of the Shadow Portal—hidden inside a small alleyway along the battlement. They spent another day looking for the Portal. It wasn't until late in the afternoon they managed to find the device. They had sweep that very spot three times.

"Funny that, how could we miss this?" Leela carefully put the Shadow stone Magda gave them back to her waist pouch.

"Humph…it only appeared at night, I suppose." Safiya shrugged: "The one inside the Veil is indoors, so we get to access it round the clock."

"Such a shame that door is locked." The druid smirked.

"Indeed," The Red Wizard grinned: "Come on, let's go!"

They stepped through the Portal. Almost as soon as they emerged from the little alleyway, shadow creatures started attacking them. All of them were skilled in stealth and incredibly hard to see them coming. The only sign of them approaching was the stale air stirred as they drew near. It was quite fortunate Leela was a windsoul genasi, who usually sense change of air around them more easier than the others.

"There, the Vault! Just like the books described." Safiya pointed at the distance temple as they finally managed to clear off another round of attack at the bottom of the steep hill. Sure enough, a grisly looking tower stood just above the rise, overlooking the entire Shadow Mulsantir.

"That?" Gannayev gushed: "I thought that's meant to be the mirror image of the Temple of Kelemvor? It looks more like something out of someone's nightmare!"

The druid tilted her head and observed the gloomy structure. Indeed, it was difficult to link the humble little stone hut in the Mortal Plane to the larger than life lavishing style tower stood in front of them.

"No, it doesn't." Leela slide the daggers back to her belt: "Funny how things are arranged around here, aren't they?"

They climbed up the hill. Just before they reached the gate, the giant shadow-like creature jumped out.

"Nightwalker." Leela muttered under her breath as the two shadowy creatures moved nearer. Her sapphire eyes narrowed. She jumped into air, body spin and formed an elegant arch, narrowly avoided one of the creature. Nearby, Safiya the Red Wizard caste a Missile Storms spell, followed by an Earthquake spell. Her delicate feature filled with utmost concentration. The grounds rumbled under their feet and began to shake at once. Soon there were cracks opened beneath them, sending everyone into stumble. At the same time, purple energy missiles dropped from the sky above, hitting and smashing everything within its radius.

The creatures shrieked. Their body hummed in blue glowing lights. Two lights beamed down half way down the hill, followed by a large gush of shadowy smoke. Soon they realized the giant undead had summoned some giant spider to their aide. Fluffy waved its pincers excitedly and rushed forward to deal with them. The air genasi raised her arm in the air and recited the incarnation of the Summoning spell. Large fire elemental whooshed from the mid air and joined Fluffy's bashing with the Shadow spiders.

Behind the druid, Gannayev swiftly withdrew a crossbow from his back and started loading and firing at the Nightwalkers at surprisingly high speed. His shoulder length long hair shimmered and moved with his fluid body motion. One of the dark creatures took a few shot, tumbled backward and landed on its back. Leela took a few short strides forward and leap onto it, her enchanted short sword embedded deep into its chest. The shadow creature groaned and made a most horrible gulping sound before its limbs went limp. Dark smoke soon discharged and bounded around its body. When they evaporated, they took the remains with them, left only the essences behind.

The air genasi jerked her head around, saw the other Nightwalker had cornered Safiya. It seemed ignored the bolts stuck out on its back, raised its long arm and was about to make the final blow.

There wasn't enough time left. She took a deep breath, surged all the energy inside her and conjured a spell between her hands and threw it directly towards the night creature. A fire wall rose between the Red Wizard and the undead. It blinked for a second, seemed unable to figure out how was there a wall of fire suddenly appeared in front of it.

"Fluffy!" She called out her trusty companion through her gritted teeth. The giant spider immediately turned around and shot two squirt of web at the shadow creature, distracting it further more. The air genasi inhaled more air, summoned Gales swirling around them. The Nightwalker was soon on its back, pinned down by the strong wind and multiple web strapped around it. Seizing this chance, Gannayev aimed several throwing axes at the shadow creature, promptly ended its life. A smoke gushed from its body. Within seconds, all it remained was another Essence.

Leela slipped down to her knees. She was absolutely exhausted. The mana within her must have been totally drained. Gannayev wrenched the throwing axes from the ground and approached Saifya, hands were glittered with silver lights. He gently tabbed the Red Wizard's tattooed head; soon the shimmering light twinkled down her entire body. The gash and cuts on her began to disappear.

Arh…miracle of healing spells.

The hagspawn tilted his chin up towards the druid's direction, enquiring if she needed any. She nodded. Gannayev left Safiya, strode across the ground and knelt down in front of her; glowing hands gingerly touched her forehead. The skin was a cool yet slightly tinkling, sending shiver down her spine. Smile darted somewhere deep within his eyes. _Now what was he thinking?_

"Humph…now this is odd, it's not healing up as I had expected…." Gannayev suddenly frowned. He was correct. Somehow Leela did not feel recharged at all. On the other hand, something within her drank all the energy that the air genasi managed to regenerate. She now felt more exhausted then ever. What's worst was for some reason, the hungry, nauseated felling she once experience when she was down at the Barrow had returned.

The druid's face went white. She was very certain they only just had their meal at the market before they found the portal. There was no way she could feel hungry this quickly.

"You really don't look well. Have those creatures poisoning you?" Safiya managed to stand up and came over to the druid as well. Her auburn eyes were written with worry.

"Not as far as I am aware of, no." The air genasi shook her head.

"Maybe being in the Shadow Plane drained your energy." The Red Wizard jerked her head up and looked around: "I suggest we press on. Do not linger in this place too long."

She reached out her hand to pull Leela up. Three of them entered the Vault with certain degree of caution. They found a set of rough stone steps ascending down into the darkness.

"Humph…" Gannayev made a non-communal sound. He stretched out his right hand and sparks began to crackle between his fingers at once. He conjured a tiny floating ball of flame and proceeded on stepping down the chipped and worn staircase.

The air was filled with dampness, mildews and…rotten. The steep steps spiraled endlessly downwards. Everything was quiet, despite the faint wind blows and some water dripping in the distance. Hand gripped on her sword's hilt, heart in mouth, the air genasi followed her two companions down the stairs. i _Back to the confined space again _/i thought the druid amusingly. She seemed to end up in that kind of place a lot, especially since the last High Harvest Fair in West Harbour.

High Harvest Fair…

Gods, it felt like a lifetime away.

_" Come on!" Amie stood at the other end of the bridge, arms waving, beckoning them to hurry. She was smiling, grinning from ear to ear. Her honey colour skin shimmering under the gentle Autumn Sun. Her azure eyes glittered, sparkling with playfulness and excitements. Strands of her blond hair sprung off her neat ponytail rebelliously and blew against the wind. _

"_For crying out loud, can you please just wait a minute?" Bevil leaned against the bridge column, panting. His red flaming hair stuck to his defined feature: "…Need…to…catch…some…breath."_

"_Breath? Call yourself a militia man?" Amie sneered. Her chin tilted slightly upwards: "You will be in time for the next Harvest Fair by this rate."_

_Leela laughed. She caught up with her best friend and put her hand on his shoulder: "Alright?" _

"_I am about to marry to this woman in spring," Bevil smirked sarcastically, still trying to catch up his breath: "And she still treat me like I am the silliest guys in Toril."_

"_I am not picking side." Leela shrugged: "Last time I did that, both of you ended up not speaking to me for weeks."_

_The two of them joined Amie at the other end of the bridge. Amie approached her fiancé; arms curled around his waist, and gave him a peck on his cheek. Behind them, was the noise of bustle and festivities: the loud clang as two weapon clashed, the excited shrieking from the children as they stood around the pigs pen, the clatter of tankard, the sound of Ballad drifting across the field, the laughter from the cloud of farmers near the tent. Falling leaves drizzled down on the top of them._

"_Come on." Bevil wrapped his arm around Amie's small shoulders and turned his head towards the druid: "Let's go party!" _

"We are here, my sweet." Gannayev at the front came to a halt. He gently tabbed the air genasi's shoulder.

Leela shook her head the tried to return her focus back to the present. They were situated in a rather large Hall. A mist of dust hung in the air, coated everything it reached. Skulls piled up here and there, against the cold and moldy stonewalls. In the center of the chamber, there was a large pool. There was something splashed within it. There were only a handful of oil lamb lit the room. Everything was grim and spooky.

"What do you think that is?" Safiya furrowed her tattooed brows.

"The pool?" The air genasi looked at the Red Wizard.

"Yeah."

"….Just walk to there and we will know." Gannayev stepped forward. His toned body soon disappeared into the mist and the shadows. A few second's letter, his voice drifted back with absolute disgust: "Oh, Gods, you are not going to believe this, ladies."

Followed the voice, they found him stood next to the pool, face chalk white.

"I think I am going to puke." The hagspawn whimpered.

The druid lowered her gaze and found it was blood. A whole pool of blood, spattered about in the stone pool. Even in the Shadow Plane where everything was black and white, she could still see the 'redness' in it. The air swirled and whirled above the surface, with hint of whispers echoed among them. They were so faint; it was hard to make out the details.

She jerked her head up and looked into the darkness ahead, trying to make out what was hidden in the shadows. Beyond them, the smell of rotten flesh thickened. Everything was hidden behind the certain of mist.

She looked around, noticed both side of the pool were barred up by metal spikes. There was only one way to get across.

She inspected the pool again, noticed it wasn't deep. The air genasi wrapped herself in her arms and paced around, kept returning her stare back to the pool. Finally, she came to an halt, took a deep breath and walked straight towards the blood pool.

"Leela, are you crazy? How do you know if it's not—" Both Gannayev and Safiya were horrified when her boots touched the surface.

"I've seen worst." Replied the druid simply. Yes, she had seen worst. She had seen the Gith bloodshed West Harbour; she had seen the Undead washed over the Mere of Dead Man, turned it into an inhabitable wasteland; she had seen Shandra's lifeless body lying on the cold stone floor; she had seen Black Garus' army gather outside the Crossroad Keep, each one of them was more frightening then the others; she had seen her love turned against her at the crucial moment, leaving her facing hordes of Undead army herself; she had seen the very same person covered in blood in the collapsing ruin, dying in her arm. _Yes, I've seen worst._ Thought Leela._ A pool of blood is nothing._

She stepped across the pool and reached the other end unharmed, leaving only a trail of bloody footprint behind her. Up ahead was a bridge. The old, rotten smell clung around it. There were sounds of running water beneath the bridge. The druid moved closer and glanced down. More blood.

Sword in hand, she cautiously crossed the bridge. There were more damp stonewalls, skull piles and flickering lamp. Right in the middle of the landing, there was someone stood there.

An wing-human.

The human appeared to be a female. She was kneeing over a run carving on the floor, seemed totally immerse in her observation. Her silvery white hair was neatly tugged behind her ears. The wings on her back flipped and swung with her breath. She seemed utterly otherworldly.

Sensing someone near, she jerked her head up. It was when Leela noticed there was something about her eyes. It was dark, pupil and iris. They were so dark to the degree it was almost black—like the eyes of a dove.

"Kaelyn the Dove?" The air genasi asked, almost whispered, hesitantly. She wasn't sure if this was the person they were looking for, or one of the first creatures they were about to encounter within this Vault.

"There are few who would brave the tattered black gate that tie this Shadow Mulsantir to its twin. Yet you have come, brave or not." The woman stared at her intensely: "Yes, my name is Kaely, Kaelyn the Dove."


	11. Chapter 11

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Eleven- The Pilgrimage **

It turned out Kaelyn the Dove had been searching for a way to get down to the lower level for days.

"There are more of these?" Kaji squeaked. It was leaning over the edge of the bridge, watching blood pouring out of the mouth of a large skull hanging on the pillar in awe: "More icky-yucky blood?"

"Perhaps." The half-celestial threw Kaji a half smile before turned her attention back towards Leela: "There are more than just bloods here. The Death God's Vault was built by the priests of Myrkul."

"The former Death God?" Safiya managed to clean off the last bit of blood smudges on her boots: "What a contradictory!"

"Indeed" Kaelyn nodded: "Even the roles of gods and their priests can change in times. Mulsantir was once god of the dead and then Kelemvor took up the role. But Myrkul's creations still remain."

"Why did the priest of Myrkul want to build it here?" Asked Leela.

"This place is chosen for its secrecy. Few can travel here as they would on the Realms, and even once here, fewer can survive its inhabitants." The wings on the half-celestial fluttered slightly: "Its purpose was a library and a prison, the priests of Myrkul used it to store valuable artifacts and relics. They also imprisoned enemies of the faith here, ones they needed to keep in shadow and silence."

"Dictator." The druid furrowed her eyebrows: "What did they do with them?"

"Humph, it varied." Kaelyn tilted her head slightly sideways: "For those who needed to be silenced forever or had simply passed on the City of Judgment, a crematorium was also said to lie within these walls. "

"A crematorium?" Gannayev's eyebrow shot up.

"Oh, yes. Myrkul had many enemies, both within his temples and without." The Dove sighed: "Many died in Myrkul's name with no one to hear their last words, with no one to help ease their sufferings."

"So what's in the lower level that you wanted to get there so bad?" Asked Leela.

"…It's…" The half-celestial seemed hesitate for a moment. Her pitch black eyes looked sideways, looked as if she was deciding something, before taking a deep breath and continued: "It's the next stage of my pilgrimage. It lies within the level beneath. For days I lingered here, studied absolutely anything and everything that I thought would help me opened the gate in any way…."

"A gate?" The air genasi looked around. Sure enough, within the nearby darkness, a gate, carved in runes and murals, stood among the dim lights and mist of shadows. She narrowed her eyes and carefully moved closer. The gate looked aged and wicked. Its surface was littered with all kinds of hand written runes, some in ash, others in shale. They were then slate and dyed tile black.

"No matter what I tried, the gate blocks my efforts," Kaelyn continued in a rather sad tone: "I can find no key, no means of opening it, I do not know what more to do."

"There must be some way to get in." Commented Leela half-heartedly. Her eyes still locked on the carving surface of the door, as her fingertips brushed through the rough stone surface: "In this level somewhere, perhaps? How much of this level have you explored?"

"Beyond this Great Hall?" The Dove rubbed her eyes with her knuckles: "Not far. Many of Myrkul's priests remain in the antechambers. I did not wish to reveal myself to them until I had finished my studies of the gate to the level below. Still," She sighed: "I suspect that's exactly where I will find what I am after."

The corner of Gannyev's mouths curved up slightly. A thread of amusement wound through his voice: "It always does that, does it? What you looking for usually is at where you search last."

"Indeed." Smiled Kaelyn weakly. She looked frailer by the minute.

"You look unwell." Safiya pointed out abruptly: "Like Leela, your strength seemed fading the longer you remain. And you've been her longer than we have…."

"I do not doubt your words, Red Wizard of Thay, this place has sapped my strength and still, my purpose is here. …I must find a way, a way to the lower vault." The Dove looked at the gate in desperation: "My pilgrimage _need _to be completed. I… But I… I don't know how…"

"Perhaps we could help you, Kaelyn." Leela slowly turned her head around and looked the half-celestial in the eyes: " Perhaps we can work together."

"Humph…" Kaelyn stared at the druid thoughtfully: "I would welcome such help. I have traveled alone far too long, too long from my brothers and sisters. Perhaps you were called here, just as I was. If so, perhaps the planes have need of us."

"Your brothers and sisters." The air genasi's eyebrow shot up: "Efrem and Susah?"

"How do you know their name?" The Dove was surprised.

"I've met them in Mulsantir."

"Arh…." The half-celestial frowned: "That's not good."

"What's not good?"

"….If you met them," Kaelyn absent-mindedly placed her fingers on her lips, voice were thickened with worry: "they must have left the House of Triad in search for me-I hope they will not be punished…"

"Punish?"

"Humph…yes." The Dove began pacing around the great hall: "the Managerie was forbidden to take up weapons again at my grandfather's command. His throne is high on the slopes of Celestia, and his sword carries much weight."

"Why were you punished?" Asked Leela.

Kaelyn did not reply. She continued to quarter the hall with arms folded. Seemed buried in deep thought, she only occasionally looked up and glanced at her surroundings. Finally, just when Fluffy started showing signs of impatience by clicking its pincers, the half-celestial stopped and looked at the druid again.

"I need to get back to them, to convince them to return to Mount Celestia." Her voice sounded determined.

"But your pilgrimage…"

"At this stage I have no clue how to get into the lower level." She caste anther glare at the gate: "It may be worth while for me to rest and reflect what I've found somewhere in the Mortal Plane. As you have pointed out earlier, my strength dwindles the longer I remain here. I shall return with you, to convince my siblings return to the slope of Celestia, before it's too late. After that, we will return and continue on."

Leela glared at Kaelyn for a while before nodded in agreement slowly: "…. Very well, let's go."

She turned around, and was about to head back to the entrance when something caught the corner of her eyes. Something was half-hidden in the shadows, not very far from the gate that leaded to the lower vault. Leela sprung her heels and turned back towards the darkness. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see what was ahead of her.

It was a mural.

Decorated with utmost details, the wall painting illustrated what seemed to be an epic battle in an unknown Plane. There were dragons, demons, devils, angels, humans and monsters fighting vigorously on both sides. Each wielded the weapons, eyes bulging, and teeth grinding. Leela could almost hear their roar thundering through the surface.

"That's the first Betrayer's Crusade." Kaelyn approached the druid.

"The first?"

"Yes." The Dove nodded: "It was launched by Myrkul's own High Priest, Akachi, during the former Death God's reign. See that one there? That's the demilich Rammaq." She pointed at the giant skull on one side of the mural: "And that one there? That's the blue dragon queen Ser'ryu. Oh, and there, down by the pillar, that's a solar from Celestia. His name is Zoab."

"Your people?" Leela arched her snowy eyebrow.

"Oh, yes." The half-celestial smiled: "He was caste out because of his siding against Myrkul."

"How did you know all that?" The air genasi side glared at Kaelyn.

"My grandfather told me." Replied the half-celestial simply: "He's also a solar."

"What happened to the Crusade?" Asked Leela.

"It…didn't end well."

"Oh?"

"I've read about this." Safiya chimed in. Her face somehow written with grief and tremendous sadness: " Myrkul greeted the crusaders with even greater army: all the heroes of the ancient dead, masses of the False, and many devils who had been summoned from the Hells. Akachi's army crumbled, generals fled, and he was defeated and dragged in chains to the Basilica and had judgment pronounced upon him."

"Yes, an epic tragedy." The Dove sighed: "But his action inspired the others. More Crusades followed after that."

The druid turned her attention back to the mural: "Which one is Akachi?"

"That shouldn't be hard to spot." Kaelyn grinned: "Legends has it that he was carry a silver sword. A sword was rumor to have been forged Zerthimon before the separation of two Gith races. It was given to him by Myrkul as a reward for his service. They called it- "

Leela's eyes fell upon the wall painting. Her lips immediately thinned. Somehow she knew it, before the Dove even mentioned the name.

In the center of the mural, a robed wizard was wielding a large glittering sword. The shimmering bright light shun through the entire battlefield. Devils and Demons fled before it, weapons crumbled upon its touch. Only Myrkul could stare at the artifact right with his eyes. The blade was forged in a very unique jagged-edge shape. Tir'su, the Gith written words, were seen carved at the base of its golden hilt. The air genasi took a deep breath. Her body went rigid. Her eyes widened. Her hand tightened into a fist. Her fingernails sank deep into her palm, causing her slightly bleed. Behind her, Ganneyev gushed, but choose not to mention anything. He quietly caste a wordless healing spells to mend the cuts.

The druid tilted her head slightly upward to look at the wall painting properly. She knew that sword. It was the silvery sword Leela would recognise even in dust. It was…

"-The Silver Sword of Gith." Said Kaelyn and the druid in unison.

_The night wind gently brushed through the willow trees. Under the violet moon, the ghostly remains of the West Harbour bathed in the milky white light, silhouetted over her blue skin. The village was quiet. The fire had long distinguished. The last shrieks and cries of villagers lingered in the air. _

_Leela closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting the urge not to break into tears as they walked silently through the town square. The familiar hustling and bustling noise was long gone, faded only in her memory. Like Ember, West Harbour was torched and flattened to the ground, only because it was standing in the way._

_Someone was gently touching her hand. She opened her eyes and realised it was Bishop, who seemed had been walking near her for some time, reached out his hand and clamped on hers without saying anything. His dark auburn eyes were thickened with worry and sympathy. The air genasi suddenly remembered he mentioned once his hometown was burnt to the ground as well. He was with her last time they were here, witnessed first hand the destruction of her native land, watching her collapsed at the front gate of the wooden hut she once shared with Daegun and gathered her into his arms to comfort her. . Hidden under her thick lashes and long braided hair, she gave the ranger a grateful smile. Bishop smiled back, his hand squeezed briefly before releasing it again._

_At the front, Zhjaeve slowed down and came to a gradual halt. Her big, round, green-yellowish eyes blinked, and then again. Frowning, the Githzerai scanned around the area before kneeling down, carefully inspected the dampened grassland in front of her. A surge of energy rushed through her body, covering her with glowing lights. Her long, elegant fingers carefully touched the ground. Almost instantly, Leela saw a mist of fainted shadowy smoke evaporating from the darken spot not very far from the footpath they were standing on. That dark patch had been the talk between the townsfolk for years. There were all sorts of myth and legends attached to it. No one could truly recalled or explained why and how the spot was there in the first place. Leela had vivid memories of telling Bevil and Amie made-up stories about the patch in her childhood, causing both of them had nightmares for weeks. _

_"We are here." Said the planewalker calmly: "This is the place. I can feel it. The scar runs deep."_

_"About the bloody time." Nearby, Sand rolled his eyes._

_Neeshka clicked her tongue: "So this is the place aye?"_

_"It is here that we must mend the blade anew and close the wound." Zhjaeve gave the tiefling a slight nod before turning her attention back to Leela: "Yet without your presence and focus, this is but a place. Is your will here?"_

_Leela turned her head around, giving the ruined West Harbour one last look before taking a deep breath: "…I'm ready."_

_"Very well." The Githzerai smiled behind her veil: "Come, Kalach-Cha, sit with me. Listen to my voice, grasp the hilt-and close your eyes."_

_The air genasi followed her instructions. She sat down on the very spot the sword was shattered all those years ago. Almost as soon as she closed her eyes, she sensed the dark energy crept up her body, licking her ears and whispered murmurs around her. Zhjaeve sat cross leg directly opposite to Leela. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat._

_"Hear not just my words, Kalach-Cha." Said the planewalker calmly: "but the meaning behind them."_

_She began to chant and recite a series of unrecognizable syllables, presumably Deep Speech. Within minutes, her voice started separating, one continue sang in Deep Speech, the other rose behind it and whispered in Common: "Zerthimon's will, my will, your will. Let us all be as one." _

_"Eww, now this is getting creepy." Quipped Bishop, before Neeshka gave him an elbow to shut him up._

_"In this place, broken, upon shadow, carved deep in earth" Zhjaeve continued: "What once was sundered, from two people born."_

_The air around them started to sir. The whispers around Leela became haste and agitated. She felt the broken shard within her chest vibrated vigorously. Somehow it did not caused any pain or discomfort. The shards placed on the ground between them also began to quiver, too._

_"Make all that was shattered whole again, by the heart that guides the will." The twin voice continued to drift out of the Githzerai's lips. _

_Huge surge of lights gushed from the shards and circled around them. The druid sensed the ancient energy within them was temporally released from the broken sword. They danced and sang around them, chanting in Deep Speech. Suddenly, feeling like she was toppled over by an urn of warm water, every single parts of her was cloaked with the immense warmth. _

_"By the will that guides the hand."_

_The lights got brighter. Others who stood around Leela and Zhjaeve soon weren't even able to open their eyes properly. The shards, except the one within the druid, rose into the air and began to twirl. They soon merged with the silvery lights. _

_"And the hands…that guides the blade."_

_The light globe sprung and shun even brighter before being sapped into a jagged-edge glittering greatsword. Suddenly everything was quiet again. The shimmering sword hung in the air for a few seconds before dropping like a heavy stone. Leela reached out her hand and caught the blade half way. She stood up and steadied herself before narrowing her eyes and gazing the unique weapon in her hand. The fluid glow illuminated the violet moon. The ancient spirits continued their murmurs through the artifact, sending unknown energy towards her body. The corner of her lips curled up. For the first time in months, she couldn't help to smile and feel optimistic._

_The Silver Sword of Gith was reforged._


	12. Chapter 12

**The Beast Wit****hin**

**Chapter Twelve- Before the Siege **

_It started to rain again._

_Curtains of mist hovered over the hill and slowly coiled between trees, dripping everything wet in the process. It hurled and swirled more as the wind started to blow, following the rhythmic movement of the trees. Soon raindrops began to hammer against the wall outside, accompanied by the wind whooshing through the willow trees. The moon was hidden behind the dark clouds. It was way past midnight. By the looks of things, the rain would not stop until morning._

_Inside, the fire crackled in the fireplace. The dancing flame died long ago. Only small ember remained glowing and breathing among the woods. _

_Besides the mantelpiece, a lone elf stared into the glowing coal, buried deep in thoughts. His porcelain feature remained emotionless. His dark russet hair was combed along his well-defined jaw line, and tugged neatly behind his ears. His auburn eyes, hidden under the long lashes, illuminated the gasping cinder. _

_He let out a long sigh before hearing tiny footsteps behind him, disturbing the peaceful silence._

_"Daeghun?" A small voice, shivering in the dark, croaked hesitantly._

_"Can't sleep?" Head half turned, the elf asked over his shoulders._

_"Can I lie next to the fire with you?" The girl, blue skin and silver hair, whispered quietly._

_The elven scout nodded. The little girl let out a delighted yelp, rushed forward and quickly dived under the blanket crumbled next to the fireplace. Daeghun returned his gaze to the glowing flame. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly._

_"There is nothing to be scared of…about darkness." Said the elven ranger._

_"I don't like it." The small voice drifted out from the blanket, stubborn and grumpy._

_Daeghun chuckled. He reached out his hand and gently patted the little girl's back before retrieving back under the blanket wrapped around him. His gaze suddenly distanced and saddened, seemed drifting into some memory long time ago._

_"You know what?" His voice was filled with emotions and unnamed sorrows: "Neither do I."_

* * *

Leela snapped her eyes open and sat up abruptly. The small old lamp flickered, sending ripples of shadows through the dim room.

Fingers flew towards her temple; she slipped out of her bed and reached for her cloak. The druid peeked through the heavy curtains and noticed it was barely midnight. They've only been back a few hours ago. Having located Kaelyn's siblings at the market square and convince them to go back to Mount Celestia, Kaelyn agreed to fulfill her siblings promises-to assist her on facing Okku's spirit army outside the gate. Though it was still far from enough, Leela agreed with the others that they should leave Mulsantir at sunrise and meet the bear god without any more delay. One more day dwelled inside the gate would risk the army breaking through the heavy bolted door and devouring everyone inside alive.

They returned to the Traven and had their supper in silence. After the meal, each of them retreated to their rooms upstairs for an early rest. Leela remembered entering her room and heading straight towards her bed. The last thing she could recall was the softness of the bed sheet and the growing hunger and fatigue surging within her.

The air genasi stared at the oil lamp warily. The familiar sensation she experienced in the Barrow had returned when they were in Shadow Mulantir. It did not seemed to go away with a full stomach and some sleep. The feeling has now intensified to a degree she could barely walk straight. She gathered some of her weakening strength, trying to caste a regeneration spell. The spell made a puff sound between her fingers, refusing to work even the slightest.

Leela let out a frustrated sigh. How could she head out and fight with this Okku thingy if she couldn't even lift her leg? Very slowly, she tottered towards her backpack on the table at the other side of the room, untied the drawstring and yanked it open, hoping to find some healing potion inside. She was lucky, there was one small vial buried under the spell scrolls. Judging by the color, it was a pretty good quality one, too. The druid withdrew the bottle, uncorked it with her trembling hands and gulped down in one go. A gushed of warm current soon flew through her body.

"Arh, much better." She murmured.

She was thinking of going back to bed, but changed her mind in the last minute. The air genasi grabbed her weapon belt and headed towards the door. The fatigue had been temporary subsided, but the hunger still remained. She hoped the kitchen was still open and perhaps she could nick some food from there.

The druid tugged the door open and was startled to see Gannayev in the hallway. Legs crossed and leaning against the wall, his usual sarcastic half-smile deepened as soon as he spotted her.

"Arh…seems like I am not the only one who thinks snoozing in a beautiful night like this is such a waste." The blue hagspawn grinned: "Going for a walk?"

"Perhaps later." Leela stared at him for a few seconds before continuing on her way to the kitchen: "I thought you would prefer to stay in dreamscape, dreamwalker?"

"I was." Gannayev's sapphire eyes twinkled under his long lashes: "Right up till the point when my stomach disagreed. Unfortunately as a mortal flesh, I still need to eat and drink."

The air genasi chuckled. They arrived at the kitchen. She pushed the door open. It was relatively quiet inside. The warmth and heat had evaporated a few hours ago. The dishes had been washed and piled up neatly inside the pantry. The pots and pans had been scrubbed and hang right above the large table in the middle of the room. There were two servant girls standing by the fire, one seemed guarding whatever it was bubbling away in the cauldron, while the other was busy peeling off onions in the high stool next to her. Both of them jumped upon their sudden entry and their eyes immediately fell onto Gannayev the hagspawn.

"Hello, ladies!" The playful smirk on the dreamwalker's face nearly broke into a teeth-showing grin when the servant's face turned satisfactory shade of pink.

"You truly enjoy that, do you?" Leela rolled her eyes, before asking one of the girls for some bread and onion soup. And while she was at it, a flask of mead.

"Just to demonstrate my irresistible charm, my sweet!" Gannayev inclined his head. The other servant girl rushed over and handed over a tray laden with his portion of food shyly and nearly squealed with delight when the blue hagspawn winked to her. Her face now turned a darker shade of magenta. The girl hurried back to her peeled onion pile and literally buried her head in them.

They dragged over two chairs and sat down at the table. The sweet aroma of bread and onion soup filled the air.

"So," The dreamwalker watched as Leela tore small pieces of bread and dipped them "What did you take?"

"Take what?" The druid arched her snowy eyebrow as she put the bread into her mouth.

"What did you take from the old bear king?" Gannayev's clear violet eyes stared at her curiously: "There is a legion waiting outside the gates. Are you telling me they simply just want to drop by and have a chat?"

"…I took nothing from them." Replied Leela calmly: "He was in the Barrow when I awoke."

"Do you normally sleep in caverns?" Gannayev sniggered, his long silvery blue hair swung loosely with the movement: "Well, whatever angered him, I hope something can calm him down again. If his rage grows anymore, then Mulsantir will be drowning in blood."

"Well, we'll better try our best to calm him down, then, won't we?" The air genasi arched her eyebrow further up before taking a large gulp of ale down her throat.

"You seem unusually calm."

"What? Should I weep and sobbing like a little girl?" The druid chuckled: " Besides, how do you know if I am not shivering inside?"

"Humph…" The dreamwalker paused his hand on bread for a moment: "Are you?"

"No, not really." Leela shrugged: "I've seen worst. Nervous, perhaps. But not frighten."

"Oh?" Gannayev waved the servant girl over and asked for another flask of mead: "Worst? Such as? Hordes of Undead?"

A loud pang exploded inside her head. She snapped her head up and looked at the blue hagspawn with disbelief.

"How do you-" The air genasi glared at him angrily: "You've been in my dream, haven't you?" _How much does he know?_

The curve at the corner of Gannayev's mouths arched slightly further up: "I am a dreamwalker, that's what I do."

"Stay away." Snarled Leela.

"Why?" The blue hangspawn's eye glittered at her again: "Don't you want me to know you better, my sweet?"

"You can simply ask me while we are all awake, such as now, can't you?" More mead downed the throat.

"Oh?" Gannayev gave the druid a full teeth grin: "You don't mind that?"

"Better than you sneaking around in my dreams."

The dreamwalker glanced at her, his long elegant fingers drumming at the wooden surface for some time, before opening his mouth tentatively: "—Where were you born?"

"I was born in a small town West Harbour on the Sword Coast. The town was located right at the edge of a swamp called the Mere of the Dead Man." Leela finished her food. She rested her chin on her hands and stared back at the blue hagspawn: "What? Oh, you expect my background to be more…interesting?"

"Yes." Gannayev shrugged: "I was under the impression you were the Knight Captain of Neverwinter, Commander of the Crossroad Keep."

"I was. But who says a Knight Captain can't have a boring beginning?" Leela twitched her nose: "Sorry to disappointed you, dreamwalker."

The blue hagspawn made a non-committal sound before shoveling more bread into his mouth.

"Now" The air genasi gave him a full teeth-baring smile: "Your turn."

"What?"

"Well, you've asked me questions, don't you think it's only fair for me to ask some?" Leela tilted her head slightly.

"…Humph…" Gannayev put down his tankard quietly. He tilted his head, mimicked her pose: "I suppose it's only fair, though I despite fairness… Very well, I was born in a city that lie beneath water; where the city is, I do not know."

"Oh."

The smirk usually hanging on the blue hagspawn's face suddenly disappeared, replaced by certain degree of sadness and seriousness: "I see it sometimes in my dreams, but its location eludes me. As do the face of my mother…. and my father, if they exist at all."

"Humph…a city under water and unknown parents." Said Leela thoughtfully: "No wonder you found my origin a bit dull."

She straightened up a bit and took another gulp from her flask: "You know, I don't know my parents, either. I was raised by a ranger, a ranger with a few words. He's more like guardian to me than a foster father."

Something flickered through Gannayev's deep blue eyes. The smile slowly returned to his ruggedly handsome face: "Arh, orphan. Intriguing."

"I shall raise you better, my sweet." He continued: "I am an orphan as well. I do not know the part of my father, but my mother-I believe her to be the one who caste me out."

"The hags?"

"Yes." The dreamwalker nodded: "Irony, to give birth to me, then to feed me to the wilds of Rashemen. Not very motherly, but hags are not known for such kindness, I suppose."

Fluffly's four beady eyes perked through the doorframe. The eight-legged companion crawled across the floor and climbed up Leela's leggings. The druid patted the arachnid gently and gave it a few nibbles of bread soaked with onion soup.

"How did you survive?" After a while, she asked softly.

"The animals of the world took me in." Gannayev gazed at the cauldron at the fire, deep within his memories: "…The dead shepherded the living. It mattered not to them. I learned their speech, their greetings and farewells, the cries of the wild and the whimpering of those lost. To some, it's a dirge; to me it is a symphony. And the Rashemi strains are familiar ones that speak purer than any world."

"So you were left to wander the land?"

"There are worst fates, my sweet." Gannayev gave himself a sarcastic chuckle: "And the more I spoke and bartered with the dead, the more the spirits would come to my aid. My powers grew, and so did the tales of my travels-until every farmer in this dreaming nation held a blade close to their bed, in case I should visit their daughters on the night."

"Arh," Leela's eyebrows shot up "Is that why you were being locked away? Because they dream of you?"

The blue hagspawn shrugged: "They know I walk freely into their dreams. Many dream of things that they prefer to keep locked in some tight, dark corner of their souls. Those that wish to keep their secrets safe fear me, but there are those who cry out for just one moment of release."

"I didn't know it is illegal to dream here in Rashmen." The druid mocked.

"Tsk, tsk." Gannayev laughed: "I don't ask for permission to go where I am wanted. There is no shame in dreaming, in connecting to another in a way beyond words, even when those words are elegant. Because dreams tend to reveal too much, many women try to remain hidden." He suddenly paused and turned his glare back at Leela. She knew instantly he was including her.

"Like I said earlier, stay away." Leela's smile froze. Something twitched and ached inside her, made her wanting to burst into tears right there and then. She stood up abruptly and pushed herself away from the table, sending Fluffy sliding off to the floor. It hissed loudly, complaining. The druid ignored the giant spider and turned towards the door.

"Leela." The blue hagspawn called out behind her as she placed her hand on the doorknob. There was a slight hint of apologetic tone in him. It was the first time Gannayev directly called her name. The druid half turned her head, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"My dreams are troubled. I don't think you would like to see them." She took a deep breath "Even _I_ idon't like to see them. You want to know something about me, you can just ask."

The she stepped out of the kitchen and closed the door, leaving Gannayev behind.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N A bit short perhaps? That's because I prefer to keep all the battle scene in one chapter. At any rate, enjoy and thanks in advance for all the lovely review!

* * *

**The Beast Wit****hin**

**Chapter Thirteen- Hordes of the Spirit Army**

Dawn.

The morning mist hung in the air. The crisp and clear sunlight perched over the rooftops and high towers of Mulsantir. The grass was sheathed with ice. Smoke rose from the chimneys and the smell of burning wood was in the air. There were no clouds in the sky.

No one was in the mood of enjoying the fine morning in the city, however. Most citizens were hiding inside of their houses and only left when it was absolutely necessary. The doors remained locked and bolted. Shops, with the exception of a handful of them, remained boarded up. People walked hastily past each other on the street, exchanged only a few glances with each other. The tension in the city was at its highest since the news of Leela's going to meet the bear god had somehow spread. In some way, they were all happy this was about to come to an end soon, but on the other hand, who knows what will happen if the confrontation with Okku won't go well?

Sitting cross-legged on the rooftop of one of the watchtower, Leela squinted her eyes and glared at the vast plane outside the battlement. Her short silver hair bristled in the morning breeze. Her blue skin glowed in pearl shim in the sun. Among the lingering morning fog, she could spot spirits, elementals, and most of all, a glimpse of colourful hide that could only belong to one thing she knew the bear god Okku. They all seemed agitated, impatient and very, very angry.

Who would have thought? All she wanted was to leave that damp and forsaken cavern and figure out what in the Nine Hells was going on so she could find a way home.

As if she still had a home to go to.

Her fingers ran through the carved runes on the blue Drow bow 'Forever' on her lap absently as she watched the guards below caste a few nervous glances towards her before leaning together, exchanging a few words. _Still treat me like one of the monsters outside the gates, and I am about to bloody die for you people._ Thought the air genasi sourly.

"Will you be using that later, or is my feeling correct, you are having it as a lucky charm?" The lilting and smooth voiced rose behind her.

Leela turned her head slightly and glanced at Gannayev. His outline illuminated and shimmered against the sunrise. His eyes glittered under his long lashes. The usual curve hung at the corner of his mouth.

"It's quite a sight out there." The druid cocked her head towards the area outside the gate.

"They are not calming down, that's for sure" Gannayev also looked at the spirit army and narrowed his eyes: "Humph…they are getting more restless."

"That obvious, huh?"

"They've been bellowing and howling for days. It's sending waves through the spirit world; I can even hear them even in dreamscapes. In some way, I'm glad we are going down there to meet them today. Because if this keeps up, they will wake up all the spirits in Rashemen." The blue hagspawn folded his arms.

"Humph…." Leela's grip on the bow tightened: "Any advice for beating them?"

"You do realise our chances aren't exactly the highest, yes?"

"Yeah, I kind of figured that one out." The air genasi shrugged and turned her gaze towards the dreamwalker.

Gannayev chuckled, his long fingers drumming his chin: "If my assumption is correct, which always is, we still have one advantage—about Okku's army."

"…Explain, and please don't talk in riddles." Leela frowned.

Gannayev flashed her a teeth-baring smile, revealing the air genasi a small dimple at the right corner of his mouth: "Would I do that to someone as beautiful as I am? The bear came here with an army. Why? That army sustains his rage and his strength… they are like…a drumbeat for his heart."

"Defeat them." The blue hagspawn continued: "Then focus your attention on Okku, and you may very well survive the day. But I am not making any promises, mind you."

"You make it sounds so damn easy." The druid grimaced: "I suppose there is no other way around it. How do I know when he's weak enough?"

Gannayev inclined his head slightly: "I will do what I can to let you know. Listen for my voice over the din of battle. Until you hear me call out, I wouldn't attack Okku directly. Instead, do whatever you can to slow him down and keep him at arms… arh, paws'… length."

A corner of the air genasi's mouth curved slightly: "And if you fall?".

The blue hagspawn lowered his gaze to meet hers. Leela saw several emotions flicker across his eyes. His brows furrowed. He stared at her for a while, lips moved as if he was about to say something.

Finally, he looked away and shrugged: "Well, then use your best judgment. But if you'll allow me to fall, then clearly that's lacking."

"Hey" Safiya called out from the battlement below, almond eyes nervous yet determined: "It is time."

The Sun continued to climb and slowly warmed up the street. Standing in front of the iron-banded gates and bathing in the Sun, the four of them exchanged a grim-look.

"Four against dozens of Dryad, Tethor Spirit, Elementals, not to mention on old father bear." Gannayev's lip curved up: "Talk about sheer numbers."

"Lee, you look paler every time I turn my back on you, soon you will be fading into our colour. Please tell me you had something this morning." Safiya was concern.

"I did." _All night, as the matter of fact_. She went back to the kitchen two hours later and nearly cleared their entire stock. The hunger just wouldn't go away. She now started suspecting it wasn't a physical craving thing. It was more of the emotional, soul deep desire.

_Hungry…_

_So hungry…_

Feed…

_Need more feed…_

_More…_

_More…_

_MORE!_

"Humph…You do look unwell indeed. How are you faring? Would you like some healing? Are you having enough health potion in your sack?" Asked Kaelyn. Her wings fluttered a little. Her dark eyes were written with worry.

"Yep." Safiya made her four extra vials this morning. And she nearly emptied the entire stock of a poor merchant down at the market.

"Alright then." Whistled the blue hagspawn cheerfully, both hands on his waist: "Let's not keep the spirit army waiting, shall we? Before we go through the door that separate our lives and our fates, let's go through our strategy—."

"Yes," The air genasi nodded: "Attack the army first. Listen for you to call out, and then attack Okku. All the while keeping you alive."

"Gannayev laughed: "Tsk, Tsk, I am touched. You actually paid attention on my mumblings. Got your weapons ready?"

"Sharpened and enchanted." The Red Wizard answered: "You owe me a rather large quantity of Brilliant Essences."

"Don't worry, beautiful." The dreamwalker mused: "Once we are outside whatever Essence we got is yours."

The guard muttered something in Rashemi before turning around and opening the gate for them. He unhooked a rather large bundle of rusty keys from his belt, quickly found the correct one and inserted it into the giant padlock's keyhole. The scraping sound made everyone's neck prickle. The padlock made a loud click as the key turned to the position. The guard gave it a heavy yank, removed it from the iron chain it was fastened on. The Rashemi proceed on removing the chain from the crossbar.

The beard soldier turned his head around, yelled out and beckoned more assistance from the nearby patrol station. Another guard approached and they pushed the latch sideway to unblock the weighty door. Two more guards came to help them opened the gate. The door creaked as they swung aside, gave way to Leela and the others to pass.

The dust road, marked by small rune pillars, was still damp with melted frost. A few meters away, half-hidden among the fading fog and the woods, was the spirit army. The telthor spirits, transparent and shimmering against the sunlight, drifted in between trees and columns. The elementals, powerful and bigger than those Leela had encountered in the Barrows, thumping and pacing around the plain, sent the ground they were walking on quaking at their every steps. Dryads, the beautiful tree spirits, ascended from the woods and glared at them with the mixture of furry and curiosity.

And in front of them all, the bear spirit with long hide glistening in multiple colors—the Bear God Okku.

"Arh. You came." The bear god seemed satisfied that the air genasi Leela finally turned up: "So, you are brave after all. Wood and stone would _not_ have kept us from you, but it is good that the innocent are spared my army's rate."

"It had never been my intention to hide." Replied the druid calmly.

"Indeed?" The corner of Okku's mouth twitched slightly. His nose flared: "At any rate, this can be ended quickly if you like. Present you neck. It will fit snugly between my teeth, and we _all_ can return to our dreams.

"What did I do that make you so angry?" Asked Leela: "Can't we talk about this? There is no need to spill any blood here, is there?"

"NO!" The bear god growled, his paw mauled the ground: "Blood must _flow_, little one." I swore my blood oath, and blood is older and stronger than _words_. You do not know what you are, not yet. If you did, you might _ask_ me to kill you. Better that you never learned."

"Wha—." The air genasi was completely bewildered: "What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter." Snarled Okku: "Now, we have spoken enough. Time to deal with you. At the end of the day, I will live in a world that is free of you or I will die, and ream no more."

The spirit stood up on his two legs. He arched his back straight upwards with his nose in the air and let out an earth-shattering roar. Birds fled from the trees in panic, animals scattered deeper into the woods and hided. Rashemis in Mulsantir bend down and curled up into lumps and shivered like willow trees in the wind. The spirit army shrieked. It was so high; people within a hundred meter radius had to cover their ears.

The battle had started.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Beast Wit****hin**

**Chapter Fourteen- The Siege of Mulsantir**

"Remember," Gannayev touched her arm briefly as the Earth Elemental charged towards them: ""Wait for my signal. Do not try, or even attempt to do anything rash before that."

"Aye-aye, sir." Leela rolled her eyes before dodging aside, narrowly avoiding the giant's large fist smashing her into a mash. The ground shook, and a shower of falling debris followed. She leapt, landed on the Elemental's giant fist and shiftily darted along its rock-strewn arms up to its square shoulders consisted of several bulky boulders, while her fingers crackled with sparks. The air genasi steadied herself and muttered the syllables through gritted teeth. Hales as big as her fist began to pour down from the sky. The creature paused, its crimson beady eyes beamed with fury from what seemed to be its head. It waved its long arms around, trying to shake off the druid. Caught unbalanced for a brief moment, Leela tipped but managed to grip onto one of the huge boulders just before falling off the Elemental. She withdrew her enchanted short sword, re-christened 'Ice Maiden', from its sheath and stabbed it into the creature's shoulder.

Ice cubicles popped out from the cracks. The giant let out a heart-stopping roar and moved even more vigorously, trying with all its might to brush the air genasi off. Leela clutched the sword's hilt and swung from side to side as the Earth Elemental spun its body, while dodging the giant's fingers as they brushed past her head. Her teeth sank deep into her lower lip and her vision blurred. Her head was throbbing. There were few times she nearly lost her grip.

Gannayev cursed under his breath. He's been firing his crossbow at the giant Elemental since it launched assault on Leela. The small bolt, even with Safiya's enchantment, still did not seem to affect the creature enough to distract it. He turned his aim at a telthor badger spirit nearby and fired several shots. The spirit shrieked and evaporated after the bright light. Nearby, two wolf spirits screeched and attacked him at once. He spun on his heel and turned around; with one hand firing more bolts at one and threw daggers at the others. His long hair flew wildly around his statuesque feature. One of them, already injured by the Hale Storm, vanquished after the light, while the other merely fell backwards. It growled with anger and leapt forwards again. Teeth bared, the spirit barked and attempted to bite the blue hagspawn. The dreamwalker's brows furrowed. He caste an Entangle spell on the wolf, trapping it temporarily before finishing it off with Drowning spell.

"Now back to our walking rock wall…" He murmured and withdrew his staff from his back, pointing it at the Earth Elemental and recited the incarnation out loud. Lightening soon stroked down from above and hit the Elemental, several telthor spirits and Dryads hard. Some of them had vanquished with white lights. The giant staggered backward slightly, finally gave up shaking off the air genasi and started thundering towards him.

"Oh-oh." Gannayev grimaced. He certainly was not expecting that. He began to run, tried to steer away from its path, while dodging boulders as large as a small carriage flying at his direction. He waved his staff again, this time summoning an Earth Elemental of his own. The summoned creature conjured between him and the hostile opponent. It blinked its crystal eyes slightly, before noticing one of its own kinds came to a halt in front of it and glared back at the creature with utmost anguish. The two soon began swinging their club-like arms at each other with full force. The air shook every time their fists clanged.

Safiya and Kaelyn the Dove just managed to kill off a rather large group of Dryads and telthor spirits and were trying to shake off Okku.

"Remember, we shouldn't be attacking him until his army is weak enough." Shouted Kaelyn.

"Easier said than done." Safiya half-turned her head and shot a few magic missiles at the bear god. The spell did not seem to effect it the slightest: "Try to explain to the old bear before us that we need him to wait until his army is weak enough to start fighting him, see how well he will take it."

"We need to do something to distract him…" The half-celestial quickly turned at different direction and tried to separate herself from the Red Wizard. Okku hesitated for a moment before deciding to continue his pursue on Safiya. It was exactly what Kaelyn wanted. She flapped her wing and rattled something in celestial tongue at top speed. A surge of brilliant light gushed through her body and beamed out of her stretched hands. Soon it covered the entire battlefield. Suddenly every spirit within its radius paused in the middle of the action. Okku's speed seemed to slow down, but not completely stop. His eyes, however, appeared to be temporally blind.

"Brilliant!" Shouted Gannayev. He was entangled in some unknown vine caste by three Dryads and was very close to being skewered.

"How are we holding?" Leela let out a sigh of relief. She jumped off the Elemental's shoulder and landed onto the ground.

"Breathing." The dreamcaster waved his free arm and cut off the trailing plant.

"We are alright." Safiya wretched her foot from the mud. She was near the river when the Spell came to effect. The bottom of her robe was soaking wet.

"One more minute, I would definitely fly off from that giant's back." The air genasi straightened her back and swayed. Gannayev reached out his hand almost instinctively and helped her steady herself.

"I could have sworn I saw stars flashing in my eyes." She shook her silvery head.

"Humph…." Kaelyn tilted her head and frowned for a moment. She slowly closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and murmured another set of group healing spells. Her hands once again glowed with silvery light. It beamed larger and wider and began to separate into several smaller ones. The beam arrows headed towards each one of the companions and swirled around them. The circling gradually grew faster. Soon their entire bodies from top to toe were covered with shimmering light. Surges of warmth toppled through their bodies. Invisible siphon sapped away all of their bruises and injuries.

"Why, thank you, my dear." The blue hagspawn smirked, while checking a rather large tear on his arm. From the bloodstain around it, it used to be quite a nasty cut.

Leela reached out her hand, leaning against an oak tree nearby. Kaelyn's healing spell certainly mended all her external injuries. However, the fatigue and hunger once again creeped back. She cursed inwardly. The healing potion started to wear off.

"We need to make haste!" Safiya looked around: "The spell won't give us much time!"

The Red Wizard's sparkling fingers fired up and several purple missiles hit the stunned Dryads not very far from them. The poor creatures, eyes bulging, went down without uttering any sound.

The rest of them spread and started slashing as many spirit opponents as they possibly could. It did not take long before Okku noticed the strategy.

"Mortals! Do you think the mere spell like this will hold us long?" The bear god growled: "Very soon we will return to being mobile and we will slice your throats before you even lift a finger! I have the spirits from the entire Rashemen under my command! The more falling by your feet, the more I will summon!"

Sure enough, the white light covering the area began to fade. A few stronger spirits started to regain their movements and resumed their assaults. Safiya's arms arched and waved in a flourished pattern. Several fireballs poured down from the sky. Kaelyn flapped her wing and leaped away from a Dryad's attack. Gannayev aimed his crossbow at the nearest target, deep blue eyes narrowed into slits.

The light disappeared. The Telthor spirit leader grunted and pawed the ground, his nose flaring. He scanned around the field for a few seconds, before heading towards the air genasi. Leela withdrew another short sword from its sheath and cross-waved in front of her.

"Leela!" Gannayev shot two badger spirit before jerking his head around and saw what she was going to do: "No! He's still too strong!"

"Handle the others!" The druid yelled over her shoulders: "Someone will have to distract him!"

Okku's paw slashed through the air, claws outstretched. Leela dodged aside and fended off with her sword. The bear spirit turned and launched another head bucking attack. The air genasi leapt and took a roll on the ground. She quickly got back to her feet and resumed her defending pose.

Two other Dryads around her caste the Entangle Spell. Vines burst from the soil under her feet and grew at rapid speed. They soon wrapped around her ankles tightly. The air genasi was pinned from waist down within minutes. She tried to wiggle herself out of them few times but with no avail.

She cursed, watching as the bear god smirked wickedly and slowly walked towards the cerulean druid.

She did a quick mental inventory check. There weren't much spell scrolls left in her pack. Her strength was growing weaker by the minutes; it would be impossible to caste many spells.

She had just enough energy to caste one. As an air genasi, the ability to caste such a spell came naturally.

However, she hadn't been able to pull it off successfully since the battle of Crossroad Keep. But given the circumstances like this, there wasn't much option for her to pick from.

The air genasi steadied her breath, calming herself down. She stretched her arms, letting senses spread within the air around her. The air around her began to swirl and slowly tuned with her breath. The wind brushed past her fingertips. She could feel every tree, every drops of water and every spirit as clear as if she personally touched them.

Okku paused and sniffed. He did not like what he saw.

"What are you doing?" His glowing eyes narrowed with suspicion.

The druid ignored him, continued on sensing and feeling everything around her. The wind around her was now intense, forming a mini tornado and wrapped around her. Her figure became more transparent and fading.

Leela opened her mouth and recited the spell out loud. A burst of light emitted from her body. The air genasi's delicate frame disintegrated. Every single cell of her body has now merged with the swirling wind around her.

It was successful. She had transformed herself into an air elemental.

The whirlwind quickly moved around the battlefield, dislodging several spirits and Dryads in its path. The bear god roared with utmost displeasure, before charging after the wind mass.

Fireballs dropped and exploded, torching some Dryads and their trees, while Safiya withdrew her outstretched hands and grinned in satisfaction. Across the field, the summoned Earth Elemental continued to throw punches at its opponent. Both of them took considering amount of damage from each other. Fluffy had returned to the battlefield, assisting Kaelyn rounding up a rather nasty telthor bear spirit.

Gannayev casted an Ice Storm spell over a group of telthor spirits. He suddenly jerked his head around and shouted on the top of his lungs: "Leela, IT IS TIME! OKKU'S ARMY IS GOING DOWN. HE'S GROWING WEAKER!"

The air elemental nodded and turned around facing the bear god. It waved its arms. Two gush winds whooshed pass the Telthor spirit leader, sending him swayed and disorientated. He staggered backwards, took a few seconds to steady himself, before waving his paws, attempting to attack the air mass. At the same time, Safiya fired one Missile Storm at the spirit army leader, followed by a Chain Lightening spell. Off guard, exhausted and without his spirit army to support him, Okku went down pretty quickly.

"Enough!" The bear god panted. He looked terribly disheveled. His hide was now stained with blood, some even dripped onto the ground. His nose bowed, nearly touched the ground: "I yield. Hurry, little one. Take the blade and tear my throat."

The air elemental slowly swirled in circle in front of the Telthor spirit leader. The mass within the whirlwind's center became denser. Gradually, a humanoid formed inside the twirling air. Finally, the blowing air died away and Leela rematerialized before the bear god.

"It had never been my intention to kill you, either." Said the druid calmly.

"No!" Okku jerked his head up and stared straight into the air genasi's eyes for the first time. There was nothing but fear in them: "Please, you must finish me now! I do not wish to die in the other way! Do it fast! Before—"

"What—?"

_HUNGRY…_

Without warning, the voice inside Leela suddenly began echoing again.

_SO HUNGRY…._

The air genasi's hands flew to her mouth, her face turned chalk white.

"Oh, no…." Safiya was the first one who recognised the sign. She took a step backwards and glared at her companion with horror: "Oh, gods, it can't be…."

_FEED…_

The druid started shaking her head violently: "No-no-no-no-no, Gods…stop…. stop…"

_MUST FEED…_

"STOP!" Leela screamed. The strange presence within her once again twisted and rose up.

_NOW..._

Voices once again groaned next to her ears, so loud that her eardrum almost burst. She collapsed onto the ground, writhing; both hands covering her ears and screaming helplessly as the voice within her shrieked.

A wicked arm, conjured from the shadows, burst from the air genasi's body, slowly stretched towards the bear god. Okku started to howl in pain and shook his head vigorously. Blood trickled from his eyes, nose and mouth.

"No, Lee…" Tears welled up the Red Wizard's eyes. Her knees buckled. Her body also shivered.

"What's that?" Gannayev's eyes widen: "It felt like…a backlash, a whip across my mind."

"Whatever that is, please stop it, Leela! You are killing the spirit!" Yelled Kaelyn.

"She can't help it, Kaelyn!" Safiya sobbed: "The beast inside her kind of….took over. It happened once before…when we were down at the Barrows. That thing…ended up consuming an spirit wolf!"

"What?" Cried both the half-celestial and the hagspawn in unison.

"The presence inside you…it's waking up…" Moaned the bear god painfully: "I am sorry, little one…"

"What's happening to me?" Leela barely had enough energy to move: "Please tell me!".

"Emptiness…hunger…" The spirit leader's bloodshot eyes begged for forgiveness: "I've tried to stop you…I am so sorry."

The shrieking inside her head grew even louder. Stars sparkled inside her eyes. The druid thrashed about on the ground, both hands smashing the solid surface so hard that they began to bleed. The dark shadow became denser and larger, almost consuming both her and Okku completely.

Nobody dared to move closer, mortals or spirits. All of them stood silently around them, completely stunned and horrified.

_MUST FEED NOW…_

"No…"Muttered Leela through gritted teeth: "You are not resuming direct control over my body…. no you don't. I….I am the Knight Captain of the Crossroad Keep…. I….I defeated… the King of the Shadows…. I was once the wielder of the Silver Sword of the Gith… You will not take over my body and kill anyone as you please…. You are going back… _You will be going back!_"

Ignoring her body screaming with hunger and the temptation of eating Okku alive, the druid tried all her might to force the presence back inside her body. The dark shadow paused. Very reluctantly, it began to withdraw its claw from the bear god. As if something from the air genasi's body was dragging it. The presence, twitching and turning, slowly returned to her body.

Completely exhausted, the druid sensed the darkness closing in. Just before she lost her consciousness, she saw someone familiar standing in the distance.

"Bishop….." She stretched her hands out, trying to reach him.

Bishop's glare became intense. His brown eyes were brimming with emotion. He tilted his head. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Bishop…" Murmured Leela.

"Come back…to me…"

Then her mind drifted into complete darkness. She could not remember, nor see anything.


	15. Chapter 15

**The Beast ****Within**

**Chapter Fifteen – The Beast Within**

_Leela tossed another block of firewood into the fire, watching the red flames swallowing the lumber within minutes. The crisp nightly breeze circled through the branches, sending them into rhythmic rattle. The sound of crickets and calls of nearby owls formed a pleasant symphony in her ears. She looked up into the velvet sky overhead, watching thousands of stars glittering above. Behind the treetops was the big, yellow moon._

_She sighed; watching as the fire crackled and burst out some small sparks. Sir Grayson Corett had left her along here more than an hour ago. It was part of the customs of becoming a squire—to observe a vigil in the Solace Glade._

_The druid cocked her head slightly aside, leaning against her arms. To be honest, she welcomed spending some time alone. She used to do that quite a lot when she was younger, spending time alone in the forest, sitting by a warm fire and listening to the nature's breath as it slept. Daeghun never questioned, nor was concerned about his adopted daughter's whereabouts. As the air genasi had learned the best survival skills from himself. _

_It had been a while, ever since the West Harbour attack, that she could enjoy the simple pleasure such as this. Almost every day she opened her eyes; she had somewhere to rush to. Port Locke, Highcliff, Neverwinter, Ember, or some unknown cavern, some remote outpost, some tombs, some ruins in the middle of nowhere. Tasks automatically piled up in front of her. She acted on them almost instinctively and was fortunate enough they all turned out okay._

_Well, perhaps except this one._

_Those Luskans surely knew how to play dirty. First they torched and killed the entire village, blamed her for committing such a crime, then insisted for the trial to be held in their home soil by applying some hideous treaty. Now if this spire thing didn't work, her hanged corpse would soon be bashing against their battlement outside the city gate._

_She broke some twigs and threw them into the fire absently. Close by, branches creaked and whined. She lurched upright and jerked her head around. Between the grey shapes of trees, hanging grapevines, and spray ferns, there was something moving. The air genasi narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on the dagger next to her, while trying to figure out if it was just some animals scouring for food or something much more sinister _

"_Well, my, my, my," A familiar sarcastic tone croaked through the darkness: " Would you look at that: a babe, as beautiful as the moonlight, in the woods, and alone. I'm starting to appreciate some knightly customs."_

"_I was under the impression the squire has to be alone. " Leela watched as the handsome ranger emerged from a nearby elm. _

"_You were expecting someone else?" Bishop's eyebrow arched up: " The knights don't break their own rules, so they won't insult your honor by checking up on you. The Casavirs of this world can't think creatively. I, on the other hand, don't have such limitations."_

_The druid folded her arms, waiting for him to continue on._

_Suddenly, the ranger straightened a little, the playfulness twinkling in his deep brown eyes disappeared. Instead, it was replaced by something that made the air genasi's heart leap. _

"_I came to see if you actually want to spend the night alone like a good little squire." His voice sounded hoarse. Very slowly, he took a few steps over, shortening the distance between them._

"_I wanted to until the very moment you showed up." Leela's lips curled up slightly. She thinned her eyes and looked at Bishop though her long lashes: " Now I am not so sure. Convince me, ranger."_

_The handsome ranger continued to stare at her for a while before opening his mouth again: "I look at you and I'm curious what kind of sweet surprises are hidden under your clothes. If you don't have the same sort of curiosity about me, I'm not going to waste my time on indulging your vanity."_

"_Considering I hardly even know you?" The druid tilted her head sideways._

_Bishop took another step. Their light armors now brushed against each other: "How often do the people you know roll you in the grass, clawing at your clothes, biting at your skin, impatient to make the acquaintance?"_

"_Strangers do have their uses, I suppose." Mumbled Leela. She could smell the mixture of pine, grass and sweat from the ranger_

"_One last time: yes or no?" Bishops nose nearly touched hers: " Or I will let you sort your feelings out after I have my way with you."_

"_You are threatening me, why, my ranger?" The air genasi could barely keep her breath steady: "To push me away? Are you actually afraid of what you might feel if you for once show a woman that you care about her?"_

"_You know…" The ranger reached and carefully cupped her face between his hands, as if she was made of blown glass. His thumb pressed against her lower lip tenderly: "I should have just kissed you while you were staring at me. No talking any more, no talk—"_

_Bishop tilted his head slightly, and very softly, claimed her lips. Leela's thoughts fled. Her knees buckled. The ground below her began to swirl. Suddenly nothing mattered anymore. Luskan, Neverwinter, Gith, nothing_…

* * *

"…"

"…enough healing potion?"

"…market…no worries."

"…"

Leela surfaced, rather reluctantly from dreams of past memories to the sensation of clean sheets and warm air and the low chattering noise of someone close by. It took her brain quite a while to register what had happened and she was no longer where she remembered she was. Her body was aching all over, her head was throbbing with pain, and the back of her throat was burning as if someone had forced her to swallow a fireball.

"…So she's a—?"

"Yes, she is."

" She doesn't look like she is."

"Ha-ha-ha, very funny, dreamwalker. Do their kind usually walk around with a tattoo on their forehead saying what they are?"

"No, but nor do they usually rein in an attack."

"Humph…I agree. That was…that was the first time I've actually seen one doing anything like that."

Leela turned her head, struggling to crack her eyes open as if they were as heavy as stones. She groaned and reached out instinctively, trying to grasp something, anything. A pair of large hands had wrapped around hers immediately. It felt strangely warm. _Who's that?_: "…Bishop?"

"She's awake!"

Suddenly a whole lot of shuffling noise echoed around her.

"Leela!"

"Lee? Leela? How are you faring?"

"…Did I pass out again?" The air genasi croaked. She took a deep breath and made another attempt to open her eyes. This time she managed to open a slit. She could see Safiya standing near one side of the bed while Gannayev stood on the other, holding her hand.

_So it was him._The druid suddenly felt a strange yet familiar sensation rising within her, but brushed it aside almost intuitively.

"…Yes." Safiya sighed.

"What happened to Okku?" The hunger inside her was gone. She could not just…no…

"He's fine." Kaelyn the Dove pushed herself away from the wall and approached Leela . She placed her hand on the druid. Pleasant and relaxing warmth current past through her body in an instant, which she recognised as the healing spell: "You didn't kill him. Somehow you managed to…push whatever that was back inside you."

"Huh?" Leela's face looked puzzled.

"Don't you remember?" Gannayev chimed in: "You resisted the attack. For a moment, I could feel your hunger, I felt it ripple through the spirits, and suddenly it become chained, caged and dragged back inside you."

"Gods," Leela rubbed her eyes with knuckles: "unbelievable."

"You tell me, my sweet." One side of the blue hagspawn's mouth curled up. The playfulness once again returned to his deep blue eyes: "Never in my life I've witnessed something like that. Impressive, very impressive indeed."

"Where is the bear god anyway?" She scanned around the room. No sight of Okku.

"He's outside. The hathrans wanted to speak to him." Safiya cocked her head towards the door: "But he did express wishes to speak to you once you would come around."

"I need to speak to him, too. He seems to know what happened to me." The air genasi pushed the blanket aside and was about to drag her legs to the edge of the bed when Kaelyn stopped her.

"You are still quite weak from the battle and the spirit eating thing." She smiled: "I will suggest you to stay here, let him come to see you."

"But…"

"Don't think he would mind." Safiya pat her shoulder: "He seemed mighty impressed you didn't kill him."

The telthor spirit leader was at the door within seconds. His large presence immediately filled the room. His eyes, hidden under the long furr, were no longer beaming with furry. Instead they were full of gratefulness and wonder.

"You spared me, little one." The bear god stared at her for a while before opening his mouth.

"Like I had mentioned, it was not my intention to kill you." Leaning back against the squashy pillows, the air genasi smiled.

"Even in such circumstances?" Okku raised one of his ears and smirked: "Tsk, tsk…Once before, a spirit eater had spared my life. I remember a lake of droning ice, a man standing over me in triumph…and a hunger withheld, in mercy."

"Spirit Eater? So that's…that's what I am?" Leela frowned. It was the first time she had heard such a name.

"The Spirit Eater is legendary in Rashemen. I read about it in the Academy, but…this is the first time I've actually encountered an 'alive' one." Safiya explained: "It's a curse passed down from one to the other. Each person who became the Spirit Eater will always feel hungry and has to feed on…well, you probably figure out by now, spirits."

"What happen if we simply refuse to eat?" Asked the air genasi.

"You die." Kaelyn replied: "The hunger will consume you instead, from the inside. And the curse will find the nearest host to continue on."

"Oh." The druid arched her silvery eyebrow: "So there is no way to end this curse?"

"Not as far as we know of." The half-celestial shook her head.

"I knew what you are the moment you walked out of my barrow." The bear god inclined his head: "But I didn't know you had the will to fight what you are. You have my deepest respect, little one."

"So what is your plan now, Okku?" Asked Leela: "Return to the Barrow with the rest of the spirit army?"

"Humph…" The telthor spirit leader cocked his head sideways: "I swore an oath, little one, long ago, that I would serve the spirit eater who spared my life, and help him end his curse. A simple oath, but I must have failed, since you are living and breathing right in front of me. So now I have another proposal."

He took a deep breath: "I swear the same oath to you."

"You—what?" The air genasi's eyes widen.

"I swear that I will assist you to end this curse by any means if necessary. We will end this curse, flesh and fur together. Until my vow's kept, these beasts outside the gate will have no king, no one worth of the name." Said the bear god earnestly.

"…You are going to…help me?"

"Yes."

"Considering we weren't in the best terms up until now?"

"Yes."

The Leela snapped her eyes shut tightly, feeling the warmth and heartrending emotion toppling down from her head. For once, someone knew what was going on in her body. For once, that person was willing to help her. Suddenly, she no longer felt alone. The hope for her to return to the Sword Coast no longer seemed as dim as she thought it was.

"…Thank you." She heard herself saying: "I accept your oath, god of bears, and I welcome your friendship."

The bear grinned, while Safiya clamped her hands tight over her mouth to stop herself from squeaking with joy, and Kaelyn the Dove nodded in approval.

Gannayev the dreamer let out a loud whistle, nearly sent everyone's heart jumping out of their mouth.

"Aye, aye, aye! The old king bear deigns to travel with us now?" He clapped his hands enthusiastically: "Oh, we are honoured indeed! I am already here, but one more legend will make such a pleasant company!"

"Do not make me regret sparing you during our battle, hagspawn." Okku snapped.

"Now, now," Gannayev laughed: "Old king bear…let us show respect for our cursed and strikingly beautiful ally. She is a spirit eater, apparently, which bodes ill events to come, for spirit eater must feed…or they die."

"Somehow I found your comedy performance not particularly amusing." Snorted the spirit leader.

"Well, guess we'll have to work on that, won't we?" He winked.

"What did the witches told you?" The air genasi suddenly remembered.

"Mostly about the siege." The bear god replied: "I gave them my word that the spirits are no longer a threat to the people of Mulsantir. They, however, requested you to meet them once you are able."

"Then I must meet them immediately. I should be fine." Leela made another attempt to get out of bed. She gingerly placed her feet on the floor, and stood up. Sparks immediately flashed in her eyes. She swayed and fell back into bed: "…or not."

"Even with the healing spell, I'm afraid you still require some rest." Said Kaelyn sternly: "Humph…perhaps I should head out to the market to see if there are any decent healing potion around."

"There aren't." Safiya sighed: "I cleared them all before we went out to meet the bear. But I remembered there is a working bench of some sort in the Veil theatre. Did the hathran mention they released the dwarven lady Magda, Okku?"

"They had." Grunted the telthor bear.

"Well, maybe she will let us use the bench to brew some potion," The Red Wizard headed towards the door: "Coming, Kaelyn?"

"Certainly." The half-celestial fluttered her wings and joined Safiya.

The pair of them left almost at once.

"I'd better head back outside the gate, to tell my army to retreat and wait for my return." The bear god's colorful hide disappeared behind the door as well.

"…You got somewhere you need to rush to, Gann?" Leela turned her head around and looked at the blue hagspawn: "Visiting the prison again, possibly?"

Gannayev flashed her a teeth-baring grin: "While I have someone as beautiful as you right beside me? Nah, I am not going anywhere, my sweet."

"As you wish, dreamwalker." The air genasi shook her head and shrugged: "Hope you won't find staring at someone resting in bed bore you."

Immediately she wished she could bite her tongue off, or slapped herself half a dozen of times. The blue hagspawn's back stiffened. Damn, damn, damn, damn! She shouldn't have said that! What in the Nine Hells was wrong with her? Has the hunger eaten her brain already?

Gannayev's eyes darkened and flickered with emotions. The hagspawn leaned closer and look at her for several long minutes before the corner of his mouth twitched upwards: "….Oh, I seriously doubt that, my sweet."


	16. Chapter 16

**The Beast** **Within**

**Chapter Sixteen – Behind The Locked Door**

Leela opened her palm and stared at the skeleton key that she had been holding for some time. The small bronze metal, carved with the most fascinating ornament on its bow, was now slightly warm due to its long time contact with her skin. A certain kind of enchantment must have been casted upon it, as it was humming with a fainted blue glow.

They had returned to the eerie study room at the other side of the Shadow Portal. Nothing had changed during their absence. The cauldron still bubbled away with gods-knows-what inside, the chamber still spread with heavy books and spell scrolls, and that ghastly blood stained table was still sitting in the middle of adjoining room.

Magda the Dwarven lady had given her the key not very long ago, after they returned from the visit to the hathrans. Still highly mistrustful, the three Wychlaran reluctantly gave the air genasi some hint about who might knew more about the Spirit Eater—a spirit of the forest who had fought the others of her kind in the past and won. The Wood Man, the witches called it, resided in the Ashenwood a little further north. They have a small outpost there and granted them use the boat at docks if Leela decided to go.

The plum Dwarven lady was in tears when she greeted them in the Veil Theatre.

"You saved our lives!" She squeaked as the other actors and actresses rolled their eyes and shook their heads: "Oh, my sweet gods, and you saved Mulsantir as well! How are we ever going to repay you!"

"I'm only glad you are save." Smiled the air genasi: "Were the witches holding you as prisoners?"

One of the actors who Leela recognised as Vesper Jinn piped up from the corner. He, like the druid herself, was also an air genasi: "Huh, if only sleep is a cage…"

"They caste sleep spell on you and questioned you in dream?" Gannayev's eyebrows shot up: "Oh, fascinating! They could have asked me to join them!"

"They found naught, besides grief." Another actress joined in.

"We told them nothing, milady." Magda pulled out a rather large handkerchief and blew her nose with an exaggerated noise: "Nothing. Lienna was our White Lady of the Veil. We loved her with all our heart."

"Actually," Leela cleared her throat: "I need to ask you about something…"

"Ask away, milady! Ask away!" Magda gestured the air genasi to continue.

"It's about Lienna." Leela smiled rather apologetically: "Erm…you know I was meant to meet her here…."

"Yes."

"…I thought she might know something that I don't." The druid looked at the Dwarven woman: "Has she…told you anything, or perhaps was behaving out of ordinary?"

"Arh…now you mentioned it." Magda sniffed: "She had been acting rather strange lately indeed. Looking distracted, seemed terribly worried about something most of the time…."

"And do you remember that blood, Magda?" Another actor chimed in. He seemed slightly frightened with the memory: "Those….ghastly droplets of red, upon her white robe?"

"Blood?" Leela arched her snowy eyebrow.

"Humph…." The petite woman frowned, seemed trying to search her memories: "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about the blood."

"Perhaps you better tell me." Urged the air genasi.

It turned out not very long before she came; the White Lady of the Veil stepped through the Portal one night, covered in blood and visibly distraught. Worrying, the Dwarf questioned Lienna what happened, but all she got was the shook of the White Lady's head and begged her not to tell a living soul.

Leela's face turned white as Magda went on. She knew this. She knew whose blood was there on Lienna's robe. She shut her eyes tightly, attempting her best not to remember any of those terrible visions she had experienced by the big wooden table in that strange room. Shadowy figures, cold metal blades, the tug in her chest as the hand searched inside her body….

Someone tugged her cloak slightly. She jerked her head around and saw Safiya giving her a knowing look. Suddenly the druid remembered she was there with her during their first visit and witnessed firsthand how the visions had affected her. Corner of her mouth twitched somewhat, trying to assure her Red Wizard companion all was well, before turning her attention back to Dwarven woman.

"….I knew it! I knew that lady in red was not a good sort when I first lay eyes on her!"

"Huh?" Leela puzzled: "What lady?"

"The red robed lady, milady!" Squeaked Magda: "Bald as a squalling babe, milady! Her head was all covered with runes!"

"Runes?" Safiya's ear pricked up: "Humph…perhaps she's from our Academy. This might explain how Lienna was known to my mother."

"What about the red robed lady?" Asked the air genasi.

"She seems to be always lurking around!" The old lady's eyes narrowed: "Now come to speak of it, she looked a good deal like Lienna. I thought they were sisters when I first saw them together."

Leela and the Red Wizard of Thay shot each other a doubtful look. The later arched her tattooed eyebrow.

"Are you saying Lienna was in league with a Thayan woman?" Queried the druid.

"Very likely, milady!" The Dwarven lady cocked her head sideways: "I saw her but twice—no, make it thrice. The first time was years ago… I woke to voices in Lienna's bedroom, so I peered inside, thinking it might be robbers again. But instead, who do I see but a red robed lady, chatting away with Lienna. I'm certain they knew I had beed watching…"

"Oh?" Said the air genasi numbly.

"Scared me silly, you understand. Red robes mean naught but trouble. But Lienna trusted her, so I let the matter pass. I saw her second time, perhaps a year ago, before the two of them disappeared for a long while."

"Where did they go?" Asked Kaelyn.

"Don't have a faintest idea, milady!"

"What happened at the third time?" Leela crossed her arms thoughtfully.

"The third time," Nodded Magda: "that was before those damn wizards came. I saw the red lady near the Portal, when Lienna came bursting out of her room, all covered in blood…Gods know what had they been doing in there, perhaps behind the doors of that secret room…"

"Secret room?" The crease on the air genasi's forehead deepened: "Aye?"

"Must be that locked room, Lee." Whispered Safiya next to her: "Remember the only door that was locked and even Kaji couldn't open it?"

"Humph…" Leela nodded, listening as the Dwarf continued babbling away.

"A secret room beyond that Portal, milady!' Magda waved her hands exaggeratedly: "It's on the east side. I have never been allowed to enter that room at all, milady. Lienna wouldn't let me. All I've managed was peeking beneath the door."

"I think I know which room that is, Magda." The druid rubbed her chin: "But the last time I passed it, the door was locked…."

"That's not the problem, milady." Squeaked the Dwarven lady: "I have the skeleton key right here!" She undone the top button of her clothes and pulled out a metal key from the area between her breasts. Gannayev began to roll his eyes.

"When the wizard came, right before our White Lady fled through that Portal," Magda gave Leela the key: "she pressed it into my hand, and wanted me to swear I would keep it safe with my life. I'd half a idea to swallow the key and make those wizards go do the picking through my innards for it."

"Thank you." Thanked the air genasi earnestly: "This must be a great deal for you, to trust a complete stranger like this, giving me this key…"

"Bah!" The Dwarf waved her hands, her face slightly pinked: "You saved our hides, milady. If I don't trust you, who else could I trust?"

"Right," Back in front of the locked door, Leela withdrew her gaze from the key to the heavy wooden surface: "Moment of truth will soon to be revealed."

"Gods, that's aweful lot of blood in there!" Gannayev emerged from the adjoining room, his handsome face looked slightly disgusted: "I didn't realise you lost that much blood in…oopsie!"

The air genasi shoot him a fierce glare before turning her attention back to the door in front of her. She took a deep breath, inserted the key and turned. The lock made a few scraping noises and finally, after a loud click, the door swung open.

The group carefully stepped inside. They found themselves situated in a larger room; probably twice as the size as the one they were in before. Other than a few bookcases and locked chest standing against the wall, the chamber was empty. On the stone floor, there were five large rune circles, each of them seeming more complicated than the others. In the center of each circles, a floating Portal hovered in the midair.

"Portals," Kaelyn frowned: "And four of them. This Lienna is not an ordinary lady."

"I agree." Safiya kneeled down and studied the one nearest: "It required quite a lot of knowledge and magical power to open four Portals. This is really….disturbing. I sincerely hope mother is not a part of this."

"They are not active." Kaelyn approached the other Portal. The surface was dark and flat—not usual humming and surging with smoke state: "Someone purposely sealed them."

"Perhaps only she can activate them." Okku arched his eyebrow: "Humph…did you smell that? There is blood on the floor. It leads to one of the Portals."

"Let's hope not." Leela grimaced, trying to remember what Ammon Jerro had told her down in that basement: "Or we might have a big problem. I don't think any of us know where the Portal would lead us. Opening any one of them without proper spells can be…risky."

"Hey, guys." Gannayev's voice piped up: "You might want to have a look at this."

The air genasi jerked her head around and followed the direction the blue hagspawn pointed at.

Something stood in the center of the fifth rune circle. It had a rather large mass, dark and dusty like the rest of the room. Weapons in hand, the druid cautiously moved towards the object, trying to identify what it was.

It was a golem.

Larger than usual, the creature had board, distorted features, sculptured from clay. It stood silent, making neither sound nor movement.

"Humph…" Safiya made a non-communal sound.

"Something in your territory, Safi?" The druid half-turned her head and queried her companion over the shoulder.

"Wow, whoever did this is far more advanced than I am." Admired the Red Wizard: "..Right… The animated spirit in this creature is all but depleted. I am not exactly sure how you can reactivate it. Perhaps…your new special ability?"

The air genasi squirmed her nose and shook her head: "Not in a million years."

"Okay, that leaves one remaining option." Safiya shrugged: "I read it from the spell book a while back, you might be able to animate it by replenishing its Spirit Core."

"Sp—what?"

"Golem like this usually has some kind of device inside, as you learned from the Ismaskari golem down at the Barrow. One this large can only be powered by the spirit" Explained Safiya: "The device, known as the Spirit Core, should be within it somewhere."

Half hesitated, Leela reached out her hand and touched the golem's surface. The presence inside her once again stirred anxiously.

_FEED…._

The air genasi gasped and swayed backwards. Gannayev quickly reached out his hands and grabbed her.

"Are you alright, Leela?" He asked.

"….I'm…I'm fine." The druid closed her eyes and shook her head, steadied her breath. After a while, she opened her eyes again. Her fingertips once again reached out and brushed against the surface.

"Something's….in there." She mumbled: "Very faint, but it's there…"

Making a fist, the druid plunged her hand into the dry, yielding clay of the golem's gut. She pushed deeper, to her wrist, and then the elbow...until her finger felt a small, round object. Grabbing hold of it, she withdrew her hand and pulled out. The object was withered and black—like a tiny desiccated heart.

_How can she bring life back to a dying heart?_

The air genasi suddenly remembered how Safiya enchanting things with Essences by using something from her backpack. It was a tiny pouch of some sort, made of…animal's hide….

"Humph….Safi?" Staring at the object, Leela called out.

"I am here."

"I think I might need your Spirit enchanting thingy for a moment."

The tiny sachet was placed in her hand in an instant. She untied the drawstring and yanked it open; realizing her friend already put a Spirit Essence inside. She raised her head and saw the Red Wizard winking.

"Thought you might need that." Safiya smiled.

"Thank you."

The air genasi placed the Spirit Core inside the sachet and retied the drawstring. The small bag immediately hummed in a faint greenish hue. She closed her eyes once again, allowing the presence to reach through her hand.

Something, a wind blew, surge of whisper or a sigh perhaps, whooshed past her ears. Leela opened her blue eyes again and saw the faint light shimmered around the sachet suddenly grew brighter. The glowing light stayed for a little while before returning to normal. The druid opened the sachet and found the Spirit Essence had vanished. Instead there was one shining Spirit Core, in flaming orange hue, sitting within the bag.

"How did you—what spell do you used?" Safiya was absolutely gobsmacked.

"I honestly don't know. I think….the presence within me did it." The air genasi shrugged.

"It didn't look like one of those Spirit munching thing you performed outside the gate." Gannayev observed.

"No, it's not." Leela withdrew her hand and took out the Spirit Core. She grasped the shining Core tightly and looked at her companions: "Well, here it goes…"

The air genasi's small hand once again plunged into the Golem's body. When she reached the elbow deep, she released the Core. The object floated out of her hand naturally, like fish returning to water.

"Eeek, alright, that should be the last time I am playing with mud." The druid grimaced as she extracted her hand out of the clay body and shook off the soil.

"What's happening now?" Asked Safiya.

"Let's wait and see." Leela placed her hand on her sword hilt.

All of them jerked their head around and stared at the Golem. Tension was thickened in the room. The giant creature first appeared as if nothing had been done to it. And very slowly, lights beamed out of its empty eye sockets. Soon it began to blink, then within seconds, its entire body starting to stir. It tilted its head, made a couple of loud crackles, before looked straight at the visitor in front of it.

"….Visitor….still wait…at the first door." The Golem opened its mouth and spoke. It was an old and very huskily voice, like echoes within an empty cave.

"Wha—what?" Leela looked at the creature with disbelief: "Visitors? But…I only just got here!"

"Visitor…waiting…at the first door." The Golem did not seem to register the druid's comments, continued repeating its words.

Who…who are you?" The air genasi frowned.

"I am the Keeper of Doors." The Golem bowed: "I maintain the seals and wards, and I open them upon command. "


	17. Chapter 17

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Seventeen – Gargoyles**

"So this is how it works?" Safiya wondered out loud: "Just in case someone else came in with the skeleton key, assuming that person knows about all of these, the spell caster left the Keeper here? Awe, this is clever, very clever indeed."

The Golem, Keeper of Doors, stood dutifully in front of the group. As large as a small troll, the creature took out the entire corner of the room. Its board shoulder was almost as wide as Okku's, its long arms nearly touched the cold stone floor they stood upon, and its clay skin appeared to be brittle and flaky. The whole body swayed backwards and forwards since it was reactivated. Lights beamed out of its beady eye sockets, looking at them without any emotion.

"Keep…Keeper of Doors?" Leela stuttered.

"Visitors await at the first door." Repeated the Keeper in monotone voice.

"Doors," Murmured Kaelyn: "It means these Portals…"

"Someone's…. waiting for us?" Okku sounded surprised.

"What are those doors for? Where do they lead?" Asked Leela.

"The First Door- Incoming Visitors." The Golem replied slowly: " The Second Door – Containment. The Third Door – Disposal. The Forth Door – Outgoing."

"You didn't answer my first question." The air genasi frowned: "What—?"

"There is no point asking this Golem, Lee." Safiya grabbed Leela's hand: "It was not built nor designed to answer anything more than just guarding the doors."

"Visitors…waiting….at the Door."

"Che!" Leela clicked her tongue impatiently: "Yes, we got that part already. Who are the _visitors_, so to speak?"

"They are the couriers."

"What?"

"Couriers" Gannayev chuckled: "Don't tell me you ordered something from other parts of the Toril."

"No, I did not. I barely know anywhere outside the Sword Coast!" Leela snapped.

"Just kidding."

The druid gave her handsome companion one more glare before turning her attention back to the Keeper.

"What couriers?" She asked.

"The couriers….they've been waiting…for some time." The Golem mumbled: "They brought you here…from _across the world_."

The air genasi's heart almost missed a beat. For the first time since she woke up in this strange land, someone, though just a creature, told her something that connected to the last place she remembered. _Across the world_, that could only mean one place.

The Vale of Merdelain.

Her hands slowly moved upwards and covered her mouth. So this wasn't just her nightmare, as part of her sometimes wondered. This was true. Someone did carry her all the way here.

But for what purpose?

There was only one way to find out.

"Right," She nodded, almost to herself: "Let's open the door. I'd like to meet those…. _visitors_."

For a few moments, the Golem remained motionless, as if it had not registered Leela's commands. Just when everyone started to lose their patience, the creature blinked and began to move. Its right arm slowly rose to the air and waved vaguely. At the same time, the Keeper whispered something inaudible. A few whooshing sounds flew past them, followed by the sound of an egg cracking. At once, the rune circle behind them lightened up and its Portal started to stir.

"The seals are withdrawn." The Keeper announced in its usual emotionless tone: "…the way is now open."

Things began to come through the magical device almost immediately. First the out of shape fingers, then the hands, and the arms, by the time the first visitor's entire body stepped through the Portal, Leela's eyes widen with surprise.

"Gar…Gargoyles?" Her silvery eyebrows shot up: "Those….those are Gargoyles?"

"The couriers are…Gargoyles!" Both Kaelyn the Dove's hands covered her mouth.

"This is the first time I've seen them outside Thay." Safiya's hands were also on her mouth: "Gargoyles only serve powerful wizards. This Lienna is not a normal lady!"

"Arh…" The first Gargoyle stood in front of the Portal and rapidly blinked its eyes, seemed suddenly unable to adjust to the darkness.

Another hand emerged from the magical device. Another Gargoyle. This one took a little less time to notice the group standing in front of them.

"Hsst!" It pointed it's bendy fingers at Leela: " _You_! "

"What is it, Seneb?" The first stone creature asked.

"It's her!" Gargoyle Seneb growled: "We're trapped, my brothers, _snarled_!"

"What—wait—" A series of clang and crackle noises rose around the druid. Soon everyone except her was armed.

"Wait a moment there, Seneb." The second one grabbed Seneb's arm to prevent him from leaping at the air genasi: "We need to tell her our side of the story. We did not do anything wrong."

The strange matter between the Portal ring stirred again. Another Gargoyle stepped through. He was quickly being pulled into the corner and the three of them immediately conducted into some kind of heated discussion. Leela tilted her head, trying to figure out what they were saying. They seemed speaking in some kind of non-Common hush tongue, which the air genasi could not identifie. Occasionally one of their voices would pipe up with the displeased expression clearly shown across his face.

"Good Master," Finally, one of the Gargoyles, who later called himself Keth, turned around and faced them: "please…forgive us, we were poor slaves, we only did what we were told."

"You are the creatures that carried me here," The air genasi swallowed: "from the Vale of Merdelain?"

"Yes, good master." Keth bowed. His wings fluttered slightly: "We thought you were dead. We followed the orders from our white lady. We were bound and shackled at her will."

"We crept across the world, tracked the scent of your blade…_watched_ you from the shadows, in your keep, through your war, and in the darkness of Merdelain, our eyes were never far…." Seneb stepped forward and continued.

Memories flooded back towards Leela. She suddenly remembered the dark and dimly lighted ancient Illefarn ruin. The old, rotted, dusty and moldy scent filled the air. The crawling beast, the skeleton army, the creeping Undeads, the powerful vampire lord, Black Garius, and the Kind of Shadows, not to mentioned the ever-existing black smokes gathered at the steps, the corners and the gate. She could still feel the dreadful fear that lingered in the pit of her stomach as she wandered through the shadowy chambers, hand holding the Silver Sword as tight as she could.

"If all you did was watch," The air genasi's throat tightened. Her voice suddenly sounded hoarse: "then how did I get here?"

"Our white lady told us to wait..." Keth bowed again: "to bide our time until... we are _sorry_, good master... "

"When the rocks smashed your bones," He continued: "we saved you from death! Had we not borne you away, to Lienna and her red twin... you would have ended like your comrades..."

"Her _minions_, more like." Seneb sneered: "They followed her blindly to their deaths, like chattel, like willing slaves. I do not pity them!"

"I thought you said I was dead?" Leela arched her eyebrows.

"We thought you were, as we pulled you out of those rocks!" Squeaked Keth: "A slightly tricky task, as you seemed to hold onto one of your male companion pretty tight. It took all three of us a little while to separate you two."

_Bishop._

"_I did not deserved to…love you…"_

Suddenly, the dying ranger's blood smudged face jumped into her mind. The tenderness lingered in his eyes, the gentleness as his fingertips last brushed against the side of her face… The air genasi instinctively waved her arms, trying to bash away the thought, while her eyes blinked rapidly to avoid tears overflowing and streaming down her cheeks.

"You alright, Lee? Those thingy playing inside you again?" Safiya's voice trickled from behind. The druid turned her head around slightly and met a pair of concerned eyes. Not very far away, she also noticed Gannayev staring at her rather intrigued.

"No, I'm…I'm fine" Leela replied hastily, before turning her attention back to the Gargoyles: "So…my companions are dead?"

"Yes. Dead." Seneb snorted: "By now, they must be."

"Besides the one underneath you? Yeah." Keth nodded, before seemed suddenly remembering something: "Wait…the Dwarf."

"The Dwarf?" The air genais' face lightened up slightly. Someone…someone came out of that ruin… _alive_?

"Aye-aye, master." Keth nudged Seneb: "The Dwarf was alive, don't you remember, my brothers? He chased us, and cursed us, but we were three and he was one."

"Oh, yeah.." Seneb paced around the corner they were standing on: "Uabi distracted him. Did you not, my brother?"

The remaining Gargoyle, who had not seemed talking since he stepped through the Portal, nodded in agreement: "Yep. I distracted the Dwarf, and he gave chase. While your body was unguarded, my brothers swooped down, and bore you away."

Despite the situation, Leela couldn't help herself but chuckled: "That sounds like him. So Khelgar lives?"

"Hsst. Whatever the master called him." Seneb sneered: " When we last saw him…yes."

"What about the others?" Hopes were up, the druid pressed the only three witness presented _after_ the Merdelain collapsed for more possible good news: "Did you see any of my other companions?"

"Humph…" Seneb rested his hand on the chin and tried to remember the day: "Arh…the fearsome one."

"What?" Leela's eyebrow arched up: "Who?"

"That one…humph…the one got shiny tattoo all over his face." Keth made a gesture around his face.

"Ammon Jerro?"

"Well, that one followed us, too." Seneb caste her a thoughtful look: "All the way into the shadow realm, actually."

"I didn't see him in the Barrow or in here." Leela looked around: "So I presumed something happened after he entered the Portal?"

"Yes, good master." Keth inclined his head: "He tried to pursue, but was caught by the red lady."

"The Red Wizard Magda was talking about?" Safiya commented.

"Humph…well, my brother" Uabi added: "Don't forget her strength and power. If our pursuer is not dead, then his _face_ has surely changed…"

"The dead…"Leela took a deep breath: "Who were they?"

"Well, you knew the one underneath you." Keth shrugged: "And armh…one in robes, a shaper of arcane magic, with echoes of power draining from the corpse. But smashed beyond recognition… a smear of blood and bone in the tattered rags."

"Black Garius…" The druid mumbled: "We will all be seriously worried if he's not dead."

"And two others, good master." Uabi opened his mouth hesitantly: "But we could not see if they were slain by the falling rock… or by your hand, in the sanctum of shadow…."

"What about the Paladin?" Casavir's strong figure suddenly sprang into her mind.

"Him?" Keth frowned: "We did not see him amongst the living, did we, my brothers?"

"Nah," Seneb cocked his head sideway and thought about it for a moment: "Now did we see him amongst the dead."

"Those are only the corpses we _saw_…" Shrugged Keth: "perhaps there were others, alive or dead, hidden beneath those piled stones. Our eyes sought only you."

Leela turned her head away from the Gargoyles, who writhed rather nervously, and stared blankly ahead. Some part of her knew this was as good as it get, at least she knew some of her former companions' fate. She sighed, once again trying her hardest to fight back the welling tears.

"I see…" She took a few deep breaths, yet her voice still sounded slightly shaken: "And when you brought me here, what happened then?"

"Oh," Seneb fluttered his wings: "Lienna took the silver blade from your hand, and the silver shard from your chest—."

"You three were…here?" Asked the air genasi.

"Yes, good master." The Gargoyle bowed: "And she told us to bring you to the Barrow, to lay you in that Chambers."

Okku grunted: "_My_ chambers!"

The three stone creatures yelped and crumbled onto the floor with fear. Their face nearly touched the cold stone surface.

"We dared not tarry in the cavern of runes, good master!" Keth's voice was thickened with horror: "We _feared_ what lay within... feared it even more than our white lady and her red twin together..."

"You know what's inside?" Safiya chimed in.

"Ancient... empty... hungering..." Seneb shivered.

"We know _not_ what it was. It reached _out_ for us... but it did not want us... it wanted _you_." Keth sighed: " The two ladies must have known that _We_ would be untouched. They choose their couriers well… our nature was well known to them, wasn't it, brothers?"

"What…."Leela frowned: "Your nature? You three look like Gargoyles to me."

"We were not _always_ such, good master." Keth's face suddenly saddened: " We went to the red lady in good faith, long ago... in those days, _we_ wore red robes, too."

"You mean…you three used to be the Red Wizards?" Safiya gasped.

Seneb began to sob: "Faces we had, and freedom, too! Those she took, to save our lives... to keep us from the horrors sent to hunt us down."

"A bargain struck! Life, and _new_ faces... for servitude." Keth sighed again.

"Why were you being hunted?" Asked Leela.

"For the crime of choosing the wrong teacher!" Seneb began to weep: "For choosing the wrong side, in a war we never _realized_ was being fought!"

"Never realized, good master! Not until the war was already lost..." Keth cried.

"Red Wizard." Safiya shook her head: "Believe me, this outcome is actually a _Happy Ending_."

"Silence, brother. Our tale is not for trade." Said Uabi sternly: "Besides, this one wants to know our mistresses' plans for _her_, but we were never _privy_ to their schemes. However, we know when those schemes took root, don't we brothers? We know who planted the seeds in their minds. And we will tell you, if you let us leave in peace."

"Start bargaining now, aren't we!" Okku grunted again.

"There is no reason for us to hurt them." Said the air genasi thoughtfully: "After all, they did what they were told…yes, I promise I will not hurt you."

The Gargoyles' faces broke into devastating grins. They slowly came to their feet and nudged each other with certain degree of relief. Finally, Keth spoke to them again.

"It was the nine hags…"He bowed politely: "The Slumbering Coven. Lienna visited them, together with her red twin. They heard the hags' counsel, and they returned with _plans_—"

"Wait." Gannayev, who had been remained silence pretty much during the entire conversation suddenly piped up: "Did I heard it wrong or the circle of hags is involved?"

Leela jerked her head around and met the blue hagspawn's deep sapphire eyes. He had never seen this serious. His brows were literally in knots; the playfulness in his eyes disappeared and for a moment she swore she could spot anger and confusion darted past his velvet eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Eighteen – To Ashenwood**

Gannayev was in a rather confused and surprised state. His dark blue eyebrows were in tight knots. His velvet blue eyes, still remain fixed upon the creatures in front of him, glittering with hints of anger and disbelief. His body was tense, which was unusual considering he has always been in such relaxed mode as though nothing in Toril could faze him. His head tilted slightly sideways as he stared at the three Gargoyles, who they had been questioning for quite some time, obviously quite astonished about their most recent revelation.

"The Sleeping Coven?" His eyebrow arched nearly towards the ceiling: "Did you just mentioned the Sleeping Coven?"

"Yes, good master." Keth bowed.

"The circle of hags was involved in this…" The blue hagspanw began to pace around the room: "This is no coincidence… Intriguing, very intriguing indeed."

Leela watched as the dreamwalker murmured to himself as he quartered the chamber. Somehow Grobnar's more cheerful than usual squeak suddenly echoed in her head: _"… Rumor has it that there was whole coven of them somewhere in the Rashemen. Whole coven of hags! Imagine that! " _

Well, she was sure the Gnome would explode from the excitement news if he were here. A small hint of smile snuck up on her face. She quickly cleared her throat and distracted herself by turning her attention back to the Gargoyles again.

"The Coven?"

"Yes, the Coven!" Seneb squeak: "They lair to the east, along the shores of Lake Mulsantir... in the depths of a city, half-submerged from the waters."

"I've heard of such a place." Interrupted Kaelyn the Dove thoughtfully: " I believe they are talking about Coveya Kurg'annis, the sunken Imaskari ruin."

"Coveya Kurg'annis?" Safiya snapped her head around and gaped at the half-celestial. She seemed being aware of the said location as well: "Oh, my. I thought it sounds familiar. I was told you could only get there through the Plane of Shadows because its access in the moral Plane was completely flooded!"

" Those hags reside there for a reason," Okku snorted: "those submerged ruins create a great barrier for those who seek to destroy the dream creature."

"Like Gannayev, those hags walk in dreams," Explained the dove calmly: "the knowledge they collected over the years is well enough for them to offer counsel for those who seek them. It must be what Lienna and the Red Wizard went to them for."

"Seek knowledge?" Leela frowned: "Knowledge of what?"

"We don't know, good master." Uabi shook his head.

"I kind of suspected that have something to do with me ending up waking in the Barrow across the world from Sword Coast." The druid scratched her head.

"A city beneath the waves. Humph…" Gannayev opened his mouth again: "Curious…I've dreamed of such a place."

"The one you mentioned?" Recalled the air genasi: "You were born there, right?"

The blue Hagspawn's statuesque face broke into an eye-blinding grin: "Once again, your attention on my meaningless rambling impresses me. Yes, I was born in such a city, and I have my reason to believe Coveya Kurg'annis is the very city I've been searching for…well, kind of."

"You are searching for your homeland?" Leela's eyebrow shot up.

"Half heartedly." Replied the dreamwalker mildly: "Now, I would pretty much enjoy you guys talking about me all day long, but we still got these Gargoyles to deal with. What are you going to do with them?"

The three Gargoyles became visibly nervous as the eyes fell on them again.

"You… promise, good master. You promise we can…can leave once we… told you what we know…" Keth was fidget.

"And I will do just that." Leela smiled: "You've suffered enough. Now go, and enjoy your freedom."

The creatures nearly crushed her legs and kissed the tip of her boots off.

"Are you sure about letting them go?" Asked Okku.

"What benefit do I gain from killing those poor creatures? Now, back to business. We are currently having two leads." The air genasi bended her fingers and counted as they watched the Gargoyles disappear at the door: "One, we can track down those hags and see if they know anything about me waking up in the Barrow and carrying a curse that no living mortal had seen over a hundred years; or we can go to Ashenwood to search for the Woodman, who, according to the witches, had defeated some Spirit Eaters and may know how to stop the curse. Where should we go first?"

"There is no point dwelling on what has already happened." Okku cocked his head sideway: "What's important is how to stop it from happening again. I'll go with the Ashenwood leads."

"Reasonable." Kaelyn nodded: "Me too."

"Sorry, Kaelyn. I know I've promised you to assist your pilgrimage…" Apologised the air genasi.

"No, there is no need." The dove waved her hand: "It is a dead end at this point and time. I might as well assist you on your task first, and see if any clues would emerge later."

"…Thank you." Leela looked at the half-celestial gratefully.

"I will go with the Ashenwood trace, too." Safiya nodded: "We need to figure out how to defeat this curse before we are able to move forward."

"Humph…" The druid drummed her fingers against her chin: "What about you, Gannayev?"

"It's overruled. I will have to go with you guys regardless." The dreamwalker grinned: "But I only ask for one thing."

"What?"

"When you go to the Sunken City." He looked at Leela intensely: "Take me with you. I need to…figure out something…"

"Consider it done." The air genais smiled back: "Alright then. Let's go. I remembered the hathrans told me we can have their boat down at the docks…"

* * *

_Bishop crushed Leela against the wall, his lips seeking out hers hungrily. His arms slid over her body, he ran his fingers through her hair. The air genasi wrapped her arms around his thick neck and muscular shoulders and opened her mouth slightly to allow his tongue access. The ranger lifted her up so that their eyes were level; she gripped her thighs around him. Bishop's left hand moved to the base of her head, his trembling right hand managed unbuckling her armor and allowed it to fall onto the floor. It then proceeded on cupping her breast and strayed down to her tight bottom. Leela gasped with pleasure as the dark ranger started nibbling her neck, moving up towards her pointed ears. His hand searched for the hems of her tunic._

"_Leela…" He murmured her name huskily as his lips returned to the hairline along her neck._

_The druid's eyes closed, enjoying the sensation that reverberated through her body as Bishop's hand reached her nipple. Her skin was flaming with fire. Every inch of her body craved for his touch._

_Suddenly, as though something had entered his mind, he paused. _

"_What's wrong?" Leela opened her eyes and looked at the ranger in confusion._

_What the dark ranger said next sent her deeper into the bewilderment: "…Run away with me, Leela."_

"_Run?" Leela's breathing still heavy: "Run where? Why do we have to run?"_

"_We can run away from all this, Gith, Black Garius, Neverwinter, King of the Shadows, everything. Run away with me, just you and I, while we still have chance…" Bishop didn't look like he was joking._

"_What—but…what are you talking about?" The air genasi frowned: "What's wrong? Why suddenly ask me something…like this?"_

_Wordlessly, the ranger slowly lowered her down and allowed the druid to regain her footing. His face was suddenly written with absolute sadness. The druid could feel he started barricade his heart again._

"_Bishop?" Leela continued to stare at her lover's face, trying to read what was inside his head: "Tell me! What's wrong?"_

_But all Bishop did was caste her a side glance, staggered backwards and began to laugh. A laugh that was full of melancholy, wariness and heartlessness. It sent her somewhat into an unknown panic state. _

"_Bishop?" _

_The dark scout continued to laugh. The cruel sound started to shake her eardrums and her soul. The area around them darkened, soon all it remained was the sound of that heartbreaking laugh… _

* * *

It began to snow.

Leela found Gannayev standing alone at the front deck, palms opened, seeming trying to catch the snow. His long hair and clothes were slightly dampened, but he did not seem to mind in the slightest. His eyes, hidden under long lashes, were fixed upon the tiny flaks rested in his hand. His expression was full of wonder, as if he saw them for the first time in his life.

"Nature's own magic." The blue hagspawn's voice drifted over his shoulder as she approached: "Never failed to amaze me. Such a beautiful phenomenon, don't you think?"

"You are asking me?" The druid shrugged and looked at the snowfalls around them: "This is the first time I've seen snow."

"Indeed?" Gannayev turned around and gave her a warm smile.

"Oh, yes." Leela grinned and nodded: "And I must agree with you, they are absolutely breathtaking. Or I would be sleeping under deck right now, somewhere in the dreamscape, like the rest of our crew."

"Arh…" The dreamwalker's smile deepened: "I see."

Fluffy emerged from the drapes of her cloak. Its four beady eyes blinked, seemed surprised to see all the fluff-like snowflakes drifting off from the sky. The arachnid's pincers moved slightly, before reached out one of its hair leg and prodded one of the snowflakes inquisitively. The druid chuckled. Obviously she wasn't the only one who had never seen snow. She kneeled down, stretched out her hand and tugged her eight-legged friend affectionately. The giant spider narrowed its eyes to slits and clicked its forceps with content, seemingly enjoying its master's touch.

Gannayev cocked his head sideways and looked at her intensely for a long while, finally he spoke: "Your dreams are bothering you."

"And you're still prying them without my consent." Leela sighed and threw her eyes heavenwards.

"They've changed" The blue hagspawn placed his hands on the rail: "since our lovely father bear was onboard."

"Huh?" The air genasi stood up slowly and patted her cloak. Her silver eyebrow arched upwards: "What makes you say that?"

"I cannot pin-point what happened." Gannayev sighed: "but where once your mind was a mirror, now you have an undertow that was not present before - a mirror to a flowing river, as it were."

Leela remembered the heart drenching laughter in her dream. Her throat suddenly tightened. Very slowly, she turned her head away from the dreamwalker and looked into the black river.

"Why do you want to see them, Gann?" Her voice trembled slightly, revealing her true emotions for the first time: "When even _I_ don't want to see them?"

Behind her, Gannayev's eyes were darkened and twinkling with emotions. His hands on the rails twitched and stiffened somewhat, seemed resisting the urge to reach out and place upon the air genasi's shoulder.

"You know, my sweet." After a while, the blue hagspawn opened his mouth again: "Perhaps…I could help you with that."

"Help?" The druid chuckled sarcastically: "I seriously doubt you could."

"I am a dreamwalker, my sweet. You underestimate my ability." Gannayev laughed. Hands on his chest, he acted wounded: "Of course I could help. I could… ease your dreams and cage the night terrors. If you will let me."

Leela turned her head around and looked into the blue hagspawn's azure eyes: "You mean, alter the dreams?"

"In some way… yes."

She continued to stare at him for a while before shook her head slightly: "…No. Thanks, but no."

"Why not?"

"Those dreams, no matter how painful they might be, are still my own." Replied the air genasi softly: "I understand your kindness, and I appreciate it. But no, I wouldn't change any of it."

Something flickered past the dreamwalker's eyes. Amazement or admiration, perhaps? Brows frowned, he continued looking at the druid for a while before opening his mouth again: "Leela… You are…Gods, you are…different."

"Why, thank you." The air genasi smirked: "I will take that as a compliment."

"No…no pun intended. I am being serious." It must be the dim light, Gannayev looked somehow slightly blushed: " My experience to date had been limited to masked witches, unsatisfied wives and adoring girls who dream of being recognized just once in the sad song of their lives. But you…."

"Me?" Leela pointed at herself: "I am none of those."

"No. You are much…much more…" The blue hagspawn exclaimed almost inaudibly. His eyes became distance: "You are way more fascinating than them, foreigner. Even the witches."

The air genasi tiled her head: "…Do you usually say such things to other girls?"

"No, I—." The dreamwalker was being interrupted by the slim silhouette appeared at the door.

"There you are," Safiya clapped her hands cheerfully, completely unaware the mood she had just spoiled: "I believe we are almost there."


	19. Chapter 19

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Nineteen – Lake of Tears**

_"Have you ever seen snow, Daegun?" The little girl curled next to the fire, wrapped in the large, mohair blanket. Her big round eyes, as blue as the night sky outside, looked at the half-elf's porcelain face curiously._

"…_Yes."_

"_What was it like, Daegun?" More questions. Typical child._

"…_Like crushed ice." Daegun handed over the girl a cup of roasted almond milk. _

"_Really?" The blue skin girl, with silver hair spiked out all over her little head, took a sip from her cup: "Is it like sorbet? Sweet?"_

"…_Not really."_

_The girl sighed contently. She slowly finished her drink and the two of them resumed staring into the cracking fire in silence. _

"_Will I be seeing them one day, Daegun?" After a while, the little girl asked._

"… _Perhaps. When you are older."_

"_I am older tomorrow!" Pouted the little girl._

"_Well, you will need to get a lot older than that, Leela." The half-elf chuckled._

"_Awe~!" _

* * *

Leela Imarr gave her cloak another tug around the neck and stepped down from the plank. The thick wooden board made a loud squeak and vibrated slightly as her foot left the surface and sank into the ankle deep snow. The candy floss like snowflakes had fell harder since their enchanted ship boarded the small dock by the river. The air around them became much colder and crisp, almost glacial. She inhaled; holding her breath to enjoy the feeling of cool sensation circulating inside her lungs before releasing it, watching as the breath-smoke swirled around her and gradually disappeared into the biting air. The air genasi smiled. She managed to stagger a few steps forward. The thick fog almost wrapped the banks entirely, draped between them and the surrounding world. She could only distinguish a few dark trees in the distance.

"Ashenwood, the evergreen forest occupied by spirits." Kaelyn fluttered her wing and avoiding stacking her feet too deep into the snow. Her obsidian eyes feasted in the world covered entirely in white: "I must say this is the first time my journey had lead me this far north."

"It is my first time in this region, too!" Safiya also jumped down from the plank. She took a few steps forwards and stared at the trail behind her in awe: "Luckily Vaszil gave us plenty of warnings and some spare cloaks."

"Why there aren't many Rashemi here?" Leela cocked her head sideways, feeling the strange movement in her backpack. It took her a few minutes to remember Orglash was in there. It must be really happy for the ice spirit to return to the familiar ground.

"Rashemi doesn't come here." Said Gannayev with the usual smirk on his face: "This is the spirit territory."

"Like that ever stoped the hunters." The Druid squished her nose, remembering those restless wilderness dwellers back in the Mere of the Dead Men: "Or do they behave differently in Rashemen?"

"Do not underestimate the wrath of the spirit, little one." Okku grunted: "I believe you had learned that the first hand?"

"Remembered back in the Barrow we made sacrifice in order to get past that chamber?" Safiya turned her head around and looked at the air genasi questioningly, watching the later nodd slowly: "Rashemi do that pretty much on everything. This includes hunting in the forest."

"Oh."

"Was that how you two passed the lower levels before reaching me?" Okku arched his eyebrow: "Been itching to ask you since Mulsantir!"

"Yes, it was that simple. We bribed your loyal fellow spirit!" The air genasi and the Red Wizard sniggered. They began to follow the path up the bank. The thick fog curtain slowly parted. Soon they spotted a garrison of some sort in the distance.

"That must be the outpost the hathrans mentioned." Kaelyn said.

"Wait…."The druid squinted her eyes, trying to get a better view. She could have sworn she heard something in the wind. Some kind of trees rattles, or heavy woods hitting the ground. There were also some very faint screams in the air.

Suddenly she realized what was going on. The air genasi was on full alert. She drew out the Ice Maiden and roared: "WEAPONS OUT! THE FORT IS UNDER ATTACK!"

Hilt sprung in hand, Leela charged out like an arrow and arrived at the scene almost within minutes. Several Treant and Shambling Mounds, biggest she had ever seen, were bashing away at the front gate of the fortress. One of the Mounds shot its tentacles towards a man, picked him up from the watchtower and tossed him away like removing a small beetle. The air genasi cursed, one arm outstretched. Sparks crackled between her fingers. Fire Meteorites immediately slashed down from the sky and set a Treant on fire. Some of them started to turn around, abandoning the garrison altogether and started attacking the druid.

The air genasi leaped, narrowly escaping a Shambling Mound's serpent attack. She waved her sword and landed on the top of the rotting plant creature. Several vines curled up around her leg almost instantly. She drew another dagger; skillfully avoided more tentacles strapping her arms and stabbed the creature's head rapidly. Below them, a massive wind swirl joined and started its attack on the Treants. Looked like someone had summoned an Air Elemental into the battle.

Several fire bolts shot past Leela's ears, torching one of the treants. Gannayev arrived just below the Shambling Mound and his crossbow already firing at the giant plant creature at rapid speed. Seemed totally relaxed and unfazed by the surroundings as usual, the blue hagspawn hummed some spells the druid did not recognize and energy balls erupted from his other outstretched hand, flying towards the nearby treant almost immediately. His body sprung around gracefully, more bolts fired and another spell casted. A shower of blue lights poured down on them. The druid immediately felt her spells were all charged up and ready to go. She murmured the familiar carnations; water drops quickly appeared from the thin air and gathered around the Shambling Mound in seconds. Soon it was as if the creature was dumped into the water. The rotting plant could not absorb the water in time and drowned. The air genasi wrenched her foot out of the dead plant without any difficulty.

A raging roar erupted nearby, sending the ground quacking in waves. Okku had arrived and entered the battle. After seeing him in the Barrow and outside the gate of Mulsantir, the druid knew exactly what he was capable of and was ever so glad he was their ally this time around. The telthor bear god lashed his claws on the remaining Shambling Mound, promptly carving out several gashes out of the creature. The rotting plant shrieked, attempting to attack back with its vines. The spirit leader stood up on its feet and waved its front paws, snapping the serpents without any effort. The creature staggered backwards and fell onto the ground. Leela rushed over, stabbing it with Ice Maiden and her dagger. Icicles popped out from the plant's body. It shivered and trembled for a few seconds, eventually stopped moving.

"Hope I am not missing anything!" Safiya stepped beside Gannayev. The Red Wizard waved her staff; purple magic arrows zoomed from the tip and headed towards the remaining Treant and Shambling Mounds. The tree spirit was furious. It thumped across the ground and tried to attack the small Wizard. She quickly cast another Fire Wall spell. Ten feet tall raging fire wall raised between her and the creature, slowing it down significantly. Okku rushed and head bucked the tree on the ground.

"Hey, leave me some!" Kaelyn flapped her wings and rose to the mid air, her arms outstretched. Blinding light beamed out of her hands and soon covered the area. Every hostile within the radius stopped their movements. Leela's finger crackled. She caste one last Meteorite Swam and pretty much torched the remaining assaulting force, finishing the whole battle.

"Those…Those creatures..." Panted Safiya: "They are…t-tainted with evil force…what…what are they doing in Ashenwood?"

"Blight spirits?" Okku cocked his eyebrow: "Oh, this is not good, not good at all!"

"Blight?" Leela leaned against the fallen treant: "Here? What about the Wood Man?"

"Indeed." Kaelyn nodded in agreement: "It is worrisome. The Hathrans mentioned they had a sister here? Looks like we'd better seek her out as quickly as possible."

The gate's door leaned sloppily against the heavily dented battlement, barely able to stand and hold the defense. An embroidered mask woman, no more than age 25, stood by the gate, examining the dead soldiers that had been squashed near the wooden battlement. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Two more lost…how long are we able to hold on?" She gently dabbed the corner of her eyes with the tip of her sleeve: "Dalenka said they wouldn't attack from this side, now look at what happened here…"

The air genasi approached the hathran: "Pardon me…"

"…Yes?" The witch jerked her head up and looked at the druid: "Arh…it's you."

"Me?"

"Oh, yes." She nodded: "We all know who you are. We heard the whispers between the spirits, the echoes in our dreams."

"Do you, now?" Gannayev cocked his eyebrow.

"So you know who I am?" Asked the druid.

"Yes."

"Humph…" Leela glanced at the mashed body on the ground: "…I hope you don't mind me asking, arh….sorry, your are….?"

"Forgive my rudeness, I've been greatly troubled lately." The hathran inclined her head: "I am Nadaj. Welcome to the Lake of Tears garrison. You see it in its final days."

"Why in the Nine Hells are these creatures attacking this fort?" The druid frowned.

"Isn't that obvious?" Chuckled the witch sarcastically: "We are no longer welcomed here. The forest had decided it."

"Humph…" Okku chimed in: "That's a strange thing to say. From what I could see, you guys did nothing wrong here."

"The great bear god!" Nadaj gasped. She collapsed onto the ground and bowed deeply. Her nose partially buried in the snow: "What a honor…to have you here."

"Answer me, daughter of the woodcutter." The telthor spirit's nose flared: "Why did you say Ashenwood had abandoned you?"

"What else could explain the sudden attack from the forest creatures?" Answered the hathran in small voice: "We tried to investigate the problem when the attack first occurred. Several berserkers were sent into the forest with offerings to appease the spirits. When they did not return, we sent more."

"And they still have not returned?" Asked the bear god.

"No, never seen any of them since." Nadaj sighed: "We were stretched thin before that…Now we are barely able to hold together…"

"That's very unusual for the spirit," Safiya folded her arms: "Usually they would show signs."

"Something's happening in there." Okku grunted: "We might need to have a look at it once we are in the forest, looking for the Wood Man."

"Indeed." Leela nodded: "Nadaj, can you let us enter Ashenwood?"

"Arh…" The hathran slowly stood up: "I am not the one who can make that decision. You will need to speak to Dalenka."

"Dalenka?"

"Yes." Nadaj nodded: "She's the senior hathran here and the only one who can grant you access to the Ashenwood."

"Oh." Leela looked at the young hathran. Something wasn't really right there. Was that…bitterness or hatred just flashing past her eyes? "Can you take us to her?"

"…Yes" The witch nodded rather reluctantly: "I can show you the way. However, you may have to meet her yourself. I still need to clean up this mess." She pointed at the bodies.

"Fair enough. Show us the way."

The young witch lead them past the gate and entered the small garrison consisted of several huts. The town was almost deserted. A lot of the huts were emptied—presumably they belonged to the berserkers they sent out. Several remaining ones gathered at the distant gate and eyed Leela with great suspicion. They walked past the village square and finally Nadaj stopped in front of a stone hut. It was the oldest and biggest one in the entire fort.

"Here we are. I will…leave you to it then." She inclined her head and quickly returned to the gate.

The door wasn't really locked. Leela knocked the wooden surface anyway as a gesture of politeness before walking in.

It was surprisingly warm inside the hut. The fire was cracking away in the fireplace, with a small cauldron hanging just above it. Its content splashed about merrily, but not a single drop fell onto the soft mohair rug in front of the fireside. The air genasi wondered for a moment what it was, before turning her attention to the bookshelf nearby. It was stacked with volumes and volumes of books, scrolls and lore. She recognized some of them, and was quite surprised to see them here. Sand and Ammon used to refer those to her, believing they could improve her skills and knowledge. Behind her, by the door, a large, full wall loom stood silently, with a half woven blanket still strapped on its frame. Leela looked past the corner, and there she was, between a mirror and a set of unnamed equipments, the silver haired old hathran Dalenka.

"Arh…it's you." Although it was difficult to tell a hathran's age because of the large mask obscured her face, her voice still showed more or less once she opened her mouth: "The forest has gone mad, and I can find no explanation. I asked the spirits, I prayed to the gods, I searched within my heart, nothing."

"Dalenka?" Asked the druid.

"Who else?" laughed the older witch sarcastically: "Yes, I am Dalenka. Tsk, tsk, to think all I had to do was wait, and the solution would walk right in through the front door… Look at this. This is our solution? Gods. It was hollow, its reason here was hollow, and its soul was hollow!"

"I need to ask—"

"No."

"I beg your pardon?" The air genasi was surprised.

"The answer is no."

"But you haven't—"

"I know why you came, stranger. The answer is no." Dalenka's voice hinted with traces of rage and disgust: "I will not abet this fool's errand of yours."

"Wha—"

"I will not be the one who will allow you to complete the destruction your kind has wrought here." The old witch's chin tilted slightly upwards.

"My—my _kind_ ?" Both Leela's eyebrows shot up.

"I am very aware what you are, stranger." The senior hathran growled, her tinted blue eyes glared at them fiercely: "In the face of that _who_ you are matters little. I do not have the manpower to keep you out of the forest, but you shall receive no guidance. May you meet your fate in the forest as swiftly as my berserkers met theirs. Good day."

The druid still blinked her eyes rapidly and terribly confused when they exited the door.

"This is the most bizarre welcome I've ever encountered in my entire life!" the air genasi looked absolutely bewildered: "She makes those people in Mulsantir look downright homey!"

Gannayev burst out laughing: "Indeed. I must say that was rather…unpleasant. Must be because of the weather, aye?"

"Oh, shush, Dreamwalker!" Leela gave him a side glare.

They found Nadaj standing in the middle of the village square, trying her hardest not to show she was looking at Dalenka's hut.

"Did you guys get what you came for?" Asked the young witch. Her voice was thickened with fake compassion. Leela frowned, unsure what to make of the hathran.

"….Arh…more or less."

"Oh?"

"We did get access to the Ashenwood." The air genasi shrugged: "But we are on our own finding the Wood Man."

"Humph…" Nadaj sighed: "I do apologize for her behavior. Rashemi tend to distrust outsiders."

"I am fully aware of that." The druid shook her head: "But hers was…"

"A little further up the scale?" The hathran chuckled: "Anyway…I might be able to assist you."

"How?" Asked Leela and her party in unison.

The young witch's deep brown eyes suddenly looked straight into the air genasi's: "But I might need your help first."


	20. Chapter 20

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty – Nadaj's Task**

Nadaj's amber eyes were glittering like streaming water, brimming with unusual enthusiasm and excitement. As she explained her plan, they kept glancing at the druid and her companions through her long lashes. Leela somehow couldn't help herself growing more and more suspicious towards this woman by the minute.

"You are a Rashemi." She interrupted the hathran.

"Yes." Nodded the young witch.

"And how come you are so friendly towards us? Even in Sword Coast we don't usually act like this towards someone we only just met." The air genasi crossed her arms.

"Well, that might be a sentiment of age…"

"Is that so?" Okku's eyebrow shot up. Obviously she's not the only one who thought the young witch was a bit over friendly: "Who was that we met at the Mulsantir? Katya?"

"Yep." Gannayev grinned, in his usual tone lilting: "And a very lovely girl, too!"

"Well, now you mentioned it, Okku. That girl is youngest of the three hathrans there and she certainly wasn't friendly." Leela shrugged: "The amount of despisement she gave us could kill a full grown Troll!"

"I…I suppose it varies then…"Nadaj became a little bit uneasy, she flicked a strand of her lose hair and neatly tucked it back behind her ears: "…at any rate, the Wood Man is the soul of the forest. He would be the only one who's capable of stopping the attack on the garrison."

"I see." Safiya tilted her head sideways and glanced at the hathran.

"Hmph…I myself went into the forest to speak with him only a few days ago. He was not there." The young witch's lips pressed tight against each other: "Something happened to him. No one have seem him for days."

"Oh?" Okku arched his eyebrow.

"Those creatures we met outside the fort… you reckon it has something do to with the blight, do you?" Asked Kaelyn.

"I suspected it is," Nadaj nodded her head grimly: "The telthors I spoke to mention a number of large threats in the forest. I am now deeply concerned if that has something to do with the Wood Man's absence."

"…What kind of problems?" Leela continued to stare at the hathran for a while, before deciding to not to press on the unusual friendliness of the young witch for the moment. After all, they really needed to get to the Wood Man.

"From what the telthor told me, blight is only one of them." The young witch explained: "There is a fire to the south. What caused it is unknown. We had no lightning storm for some time."

"Humph…" Leela cocked her head sideways. Now this sounded familiar: "You haven't by any chance seen an impulsive red headed mage girl with anger management problems lately, have you?" She has got to ask.

"No?"

"Sorry." The air genasi tried to suppress her grin. The memory of Qara's 'Let's torch everything' attitude temporary distracted her: "Please continue."

"…The second problem is a telthor sanctuary to the east. It is overrun by some intruders and they refuse to leave. They caste the spirit out and had took over the place. The telthors are peaceful sort, and have tried every way possible, but those intruders were just…"

"Overstaying guests, I see." The corner of Gannayev's mouth curved up: "And you want us to ask them to leave for you?"

"…Yes."

"What about the blight?" Okku chimed in again: "Where about is it?"

"Most of the forest had been infected." Nadaj sighed: "And from what I have heard, it's spreading."

"That's not good." Said Leela thoughtfully.

"No." The hathran shook her head: "So will you help us?"

"…I suppose we will," The druid replied slowly: "Since it appears to be the only way to see the Wood Man—" Suddenly she stopped, clenching her hands into fist so tightly, her nails began to dig into her palm.

"Leela?" Gannayev next to her sensed the unusualness: "Y'alright?"

_ARH…_

"I—" The air genasi's head was in throbbing with pain very quickly. This was completely without warning. The hunger presence inside her suddenly surged and threatened to lash out, towards the young witch in front of her.

_That's strange_, thought Leela, _she's not even a spirit. _

_HUNGRY…_

The presence within continued to stir and pushed at her ribs vigorously. Dark shadow began to gather behind Leela. The familiar echo thundered in her head once again. She gritted her teeth, trying her hardest to force the hunger back.

"The curse!" Safiya pushed forward and gently placed her hand on the air genasi's shoulder: "It's the curse, isn't it, Lee? When was the last time you fed?"

"Are we talking about normal food now or something else?" Gannayev also reached out his hands and tried to grab Leela's arm.

"The last time we have anything to eat was in Mulsantir, before onboard the enchanted ship!" Kaelyn watched helplessly as the druid collapsed onto the ground.

"The curse will consume her alive from within, if she's not allow herself to have _something_!" Okku sounded panic.

"Thanks for the info, grandfather bear. " The hagspawn mucked: "Since you are so concern, why don't you step in front of our cute little witch and offer yourself instead?"

_MUST FEED…NOW…_

"Nadaj…" Sparks started flashing in front of the druid. She shook off Safiya's hand and struggled to raise her gaze towards the young hathran: "Go…GO AWAY!"

Everyone jolted, including the Spirit Eater herself. That wasn't her usual voice. It was someone else's. Some kind of monster, pressed behind some magic field and fighting to squeeze its voice through. And her eyes…it wasn't her usual clear velvet color, it was burning in crimson.

The young witch's eyes were filled with fear. Visibly shaken, she took a step back, staggered and fell onto the ground. She raised her hand and tried to cast some spells, but in panic she forgot most of them. Terribly frightened, Nadaj crawled backwards and tried to escape.

Leela writhed and trashed about on ground in pain. She has used all her strength to hold the hunger presence inside her. The monster, however, did not seem to be that easy to force back this time. The darkness behind her was getting thicker and started moving towards Nadaj, while the druid's conscious began to fade…

The door of Dalenka's house opened abruptly. Dalenka stepped out and rushed past Nadaj. The othlor out stretched her hand and uttered loudly said something in Rashemi. Rope conjured out of light burst out of her hand and flew straight towards Leela. It went through her body and seemed wrapped around the darkening shadow behind her. The thing struggled hard before being overwhelmed by the blinding light. Suddenly, every discomfort that had been bothering the druid was gone.

The lights disappeared, and the air genasi collapsed onto the ground. Gannayev and Safiya immediately rushed forward and inspected the panting Spirit Eater. Kaelyn slowly moved towards them, murmured Rejuvenation Spells under her breath. Blue humming light surged through her body. The half-celestial touched Leela gently, watching her traveling companion's breath steadied, and eventually calmed down.

"What…what was that?" The druid managed to get back to her feet and looked at Dalenka quizzically.

"A excess suppressing spell," The othlor didn't even look at the air genasi. She pulled Nadaj up and turned around, preparing to return to the hut: "taught by another one of your kind long ago, useful when your strength failed to trap the beast inside you."

"Another Spirit Eater?" Leela frowned.

"Yes. You are not the only one I've encountered during my time as a hathran." Dalenka paused in front of her door, her crooked index finger pointed at something and shimmering in silvery hue. The air genasi jerked her head towards the direction the elder witch was pointing at, realized it was a spell scroll that was not there a moment ago floating in the mid air. She took a couple of strides across the square and snatched the paper. It was the spell scribbled over the scroll. The druid looked up and attempting to thank the hathran, only to realise she has returned back inside the hut, taking Nadaj with her.

* * *

"Why would I want to consume a hathran?" Later, as they sit around a large table, half way between the salted meat and warm bread rolls, Leela wondered out loud: "She's not even a spirit."

The group decided to stay in the garrison for the remaining day and set off to the forest at daybreak. Nadaj organized an empty house for them to stay and sent over some food for them. Somehow it kept reminding the druid about Retta. For a Rashemi, she was a bit too friendly indeed.

"I don't know." Safiya handed over the air genasi a bowl full of hot onion soup: "Perhaps it sensed the witch have magic ability?"

"Sweetie," Gannayev swallowed the soup in his mouth: "In that case the monster could have consumed every single one of us. That doesn't make any sense."

"I suppose it doesn't." The Red Wizard sighed, tore off the bread roll in her hand with excess force absent-mindedly: "I really don't know. To be honest, there isn't much record detailing how the Spirit Eater behaves. Most of them I came across only mentioned they devour spirits!"

"Such a shame that old witch didn't talk much." The hagspawn shook his head: "I bet with my good look she must know more about the Spirit Eater than any of us do."

"Now that's another odd one," Kaelyn smirked: "She's too unfriendly."

"Grumpy old hag." Okku grunted.

"Oi!"

"What, reckon I have just insulted your heritage, hagspawn?" The telthor spirit leader sniggered: "I thought you don't give a damn about your parents?"

"I still don't." The dreamwalker cast him a side glare and snorted: "But it's still disrespectful to talk about it like this, don't you think, grandpa bear?"

Okku rolled his eyes before continuing his pacing around the room.

"Perhaps the Wood Man would know." Safiya suggested.

"Another note on our ever-expanding 'things to do once you met the Wood Man' list." Gannayev chuckled: "Lovely."

"What else do you want to do?" The Red Wizard folded her arms and glared at the hagspawn daringly.

"Are you offering me to plan now? Do I have such a privilege? Usually they just crumple down upon me and I have no choice but to slash, or zap whichever comes first." The corner of Gannayev mouth curved up and his eye began to twinkle: "You are too kind, darling."

"Humph…" Leela stared into the empty bowl: "I really wish I could know more about the Spirit Eater thingy…Gods, if only Sand, or Ammon was here…"

"Former colleagues of yours, I take it?" Asked Okku thoughtfully.

Leela nodded. Her mind suddenly drifted miles away; back to the dingy basement of the Keep, back to heavy mold scented library. When the moon elf handed her over a scroll full of spells he just copied from the most recent books, recitations of certain artifact he thought might be helpful with the upcoming journey; when the warlord showed her the arcane rune circle he had just produced on the cold, damp stone floor and explained what creature it might summon from the Lower Plane, or how to counter the effect of the arcane rune; when very rarely both of them presented in the war room, discussing arcane spells until wee hours in the morning…

_"Are you sure about that? The spell require _Sacrific_e!" Sand frowned: "In times like that, who will you choose to sacrifice? Yourself? Or any of our unfortunate comrades?" _

"_Humph…" Ammon rubbed his chin thoughtfully: "What about this?" His pen crossed out a few strokes and replaced it with different ones._

"_A much better options, I must say." The moon elf nodded, rested his hand under his chin. His blue eyes scanned through the spells one more time, long lashes fluttering as the eyes jumped between each line._

"_Will you two please stop? I am getting bored." Bishop, who's been sitting in an empty armchair at the corner for most of the past hours, complained loudly: "Do any of you have any idea what time is it now? Do we have some kind of meeting to go in Neverwinter?"_

"_Nobody asked you to stay here." Sand cast the ranger an side glare._

"_No, but…" He side glanced Leela and sighed helplessly: "Oh, well, bugger that. Forget what I just said."_

"_Did you hear something?" Ammon flashed a quick look at the moon elf thoughtfully._

"_An inpatient mosquito." The arcane wizard cocked his eyebrow slightly before returning his attention on the scrolls on the table._

"_Oi!"_

"…_Bish," Leela tried her hardest not to laugh: "Come on, let's go."_

"_Your ladyship, you have no idea how long have I been waiting for those magic words!" Bishop extracted his legs from the table and stood up: "Next time, please put into the consideration that a little poor scout had been out and about all day, really don't have excess energy to dwell with those bookworms."_

"…_I will." The druid began to giggle: "Now I'd better get you out of this room before two of the most powerful arcane spell casters turn you into something not human!"_

"Leela?"

She continued staring at her bowl for a minute before standing up, pushing her dishes away.

"I…I am exhausted. If you guys don't mind, we will call it a day, shall we?" She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles.

"…Sure." Kaelyn nodded: "I believe your room is behind that wolf hide there." She pointed at the opposite direction of the room.

"Cheers." Leela dragged herself towards the pointed direction, leaving her bewildered companions behind.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N** My beloved fanfic just past the 20th chapter mark! It's the biggest and longest I've ever done to date. Thanks for those who's been following it. I truly appreciated it.

* * *

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-One – The Tree In Everlasting Summer**

The snowing had stopped.

It became colder. There wasn't a single cloud in the blue sky. The sun now shined everywhere generously: onto the distant hills, onto the treetop, onto the small bushes, and onto their shoulders. The wind had stopped, too. The fog had long retreated. Birds began to hop between tree branches and sang in the crisp air. The crystallized snowline glittered and sparkled in the golden light. Leela closed her eyes, lips curled and palms outstretched, enjoyed this serene and perfect moment.

"You really like this snow thing, do you?" A lilting voice chuckled behind her. The air genasi turned her head, saw Gannayev standing not very far from her, with a half-amusement, half something behind his velvet blue eyes: "Are you sure you are a air genasi?"

"Who said air genasi can't like the cold weather?" The druid sighed.

"I am not sure if your novelty allow you to notice that we all stand in knee high snow at the moment, our lungs actually begin to hurt from breathed in all the coldness, and unable to tell which direction is which?" The hagspawn's mouth twitched: "Not to mention the disturbance I've sensed since we entered this forest."

"That's strange, I sense that, too" Leela's brow frowned slightly: "Humph…is this a Spirit Eater thing?"

"No, I don't think that's the Spirit Eater thing." Gannayev coughed: "It's because of me."

"You?"

"Yes." The dreamwalker grinned: "It had been some time since I traveled with someone I can …trust. As such, I have been more open with you than with others I have had the misfortune to meet on Rashemen. Opening oneself to another touched by the spirit, however, can have such effect like you just experience. It can op one's inner sight…the eye that one uses while dreaming, the 'Dreamer's Eyes' in the Rashemi tongue."

"Dreamer's Eyes?" Leela looked slightly puzzled: "What does that do? Allow me sensing spirits?"

"Oh, it does more than that." Gannayev smiled: " You will soon notice you see many things …clearer than before. You may find yourself finishing other's sentences or sharing incomplete thoughts. I also suspect this sight will allow you to see the spirits of others easier, should you use your powers on them…and possibly quench your hunger more fully. But that's just speculation."

"I see." Leela nodded: "So…do I need some kind of special spell to open this eye or something?"

"No. There is no need" The dreamwalker tilted his head and looked at her: "Your 'Dreamer's Eye' is open now, whether you realize it or not. Even should we be apart or I should fall in battle. It will remain open. I think you will find the world and those who dream within it to be even more fascinating than before, my sweet."

"Okay…" The air genasi smiled: "Thanks…I guess. Now the disturbance…is that normal in this forest or…"

"No, I don't think so." Gannayev withdrew his glance from the air genasi and scanned their surrounding: "The forest…let's put it this way. The whole forest is like an individual spirit. Each has their own personality and quality. Ashenwood will be no exception. But from what I've been sensing since entering the forest, it somehow…doesn't feel right."

"I agree with the hagspawn here." Okku growled: "Something smells wrong here. Something…raw and rotting…"

"Something that doesn't feel like the Wood Man." Leela finished the unsaid words.

"Indeed." Gannayev nodded: "The spirit here are restless, trapped, disturbed and confused. To me, that shouldn't be what the Wood Man feel like. That hathran did mention there is a blight here?"

"And spreading." Kaelyn stared into the distance treetop, looked increasingly worry: "She also said the Wood Man is missing."

"It looks like he's really not here." Gannayev cocked his head and rested his chin on his hand.

They continued their journey, following the fainted trails left by the animals or the hunters. There were a few odd looking trees standing in a few short strides from them. As soon as they drew near, the trees sprang into life. Their big branches swept past the traveling group, nearly knocking down some of them. Nearby, some innocent looking snow piles suddenly moved and shot their vines at Kaelyn. She only managed to jump away just in time. Within seconds, they were surrounded by Treants and Shambling Mounds.

"Now that doesn't look too good." Safiya's hand on her staff tightened.

"No, it's not indeed." Okku's eyes narrowed angrily, watched as one of them let out a heart-stopping roar and shot out its vine towards him.

Leela unsheathed the 'Ice Maiden' and ran towards the treant, while her empty hand whipped up the first spell she could think of. Safiya outstretched her hand and cast a Meteor Swarm Spell, followed by a Mass Magic Missile. Kaelyn fluttered her wings and jumped into the mid air, summoning Planetar to their aide. Okku charged towards the nearest Shambling Mound and began to wave his heavy claws towards the tainted creature. Gannayev withdrew his crossbow and fired, while the other hand cast an Elemental Swarms. The fire showered upon them, the creatures shrieked.

They were coming in waves and in surprisingly large numbers. Soon their fire spells went dry and had to rely on melee attacks and scrolls. Gannayev swapped his crossbow with two short swords and pirouetted elegantly among the tainted monsters. Safiya summoned several enchanted swords for assistance. Kaelyn in the air shot fire arrows towards a few Shambling Mounds, setting them alit and walking fire bomb towards their comrades. Okku and Fluffy the spider worked together, trapped the creatures with a web first and bashed them to death.

"Is this…Troll actually dead at all?" After several tainted monsters, they've encountered a few Fell Trolls. They were particularly nasty creatures to kill as their skin were exceptionally thick and when their strengths were low enough, they bent down, curved into some kind of fetal position then began regenerating. Okku started to curse loudly when the Troll he was trying so hard to kill did that the umpteenth time.

"…Fekking two-headed wankers." Leela painted and muttered loudly, without noticing Gannayev nearby tried his hardest to suppress a small smile: "…Any of you still have strength to cast a Fire Spell at all?"

"No…" Kaelyn shook her head.

"Mine's dry." Safiya shrugged.

Leela hissed. She knew none of them have acid flask in their rugsack. The giant mountainous monster started to stir, looked like it was about to do another round. By the look of it, they would die out of exhaustion if it kept going on like this.

"Your bow, Leela." Suddenly Gannayev pointed at her back.

"What?"

"The Drow bow." The blue hagspawn gave her a knowing look. Of course, he had visited all her dreams, he knew how she got that bow and what that bow was capable of: "You've been carrying it around for a while. Now it's a good time to use it."

"But I've never…."

"And you called yourself a excellent archer's daughter?" The dreamwalker arched his eyebrow.

"Daeghun is the best!" Leela snorted.

_"Now, let's try again." Daeghun cocked his eyebrow towards the missed target Leela just shot: "I will to this one. Use your eyes. Watch, and learn."_

_Young Leela nodded. The half-elf picked up his bow and walked towards the practice target. Standing in front of the shooting line, his stance pose and elegant. Very slowly, he swung a quiver from across his shoulder and raised the bow. The young girl watched hungrily as he nocked an arrow. _

"_See yourself as the arrow, kiddo." Daeghun whispered over his shoulder before firing. The arrow flew, thunked into the target and right at the center. _

_The half-elf reloaded and fired again, and again. Arrows shot out from the bow in the blink of an eye and hit the target one after the other. When the quiver was empty and the dust was settled. Leela saw all of them hit the target, with one pierced through the one before it._

"Then you have nothing to worry about, my sweet." Gannayev gave her a teeth-bearing grin.

The air genasi hesitated for a moment before taking off her long bow from her back. The well-crafted bow shimmered in blue under the sun. She reached her hands out and ran her fingers through the bow lovingly, remembering the moment when she first got the Drow made weapon.

_"It's called 'Forever'."_

The druid blinked, trying to bat away tears just surged in her eyes. Where has all the time gone? Was it only yesterday the ranger handed over the blue lacquered bow?

Something stirred and rose behind her. The Fell Troll had fully regenerated and resumed its attack. It waved its huge arms and hammered down towards Leela. The air genasi spun her hills, bow arm out stretched, string hand grabbed the bowstring and almost immediately, a magic fire arrow appeared on the bow and nocked. She aimed at the approaching giant. Her eyes narrowed to slits.

"See yourself as an arrow." She murmured, remembered her adopted father's words.

The fire arrow released from the bow and shot straight towards the Trolls. The druid pulled the bowstring again. Another arrow appeared and fired towards the monster in heartbeat. One of the Fell Troll's head roared and snarled at the air genasi. She smiled and fired another two shots. The monster finally slowed down. Okku rushed forward, claws slashed away the giant's leg. It toppled over, sending the ground around them shaking. Kaelyn landed on the top of the beast and stabbed her quarterstaff into its heart. This time it impaled into its chest without any difficulty. The Troll cried out in pain, its body shivered, its mouth gurgled with blood, then it stopped moving.

The other Troll jerked its heads around and stomped towards Gannayev. The blue hagspawn tilted his chin slightly higher and caste a Lightening Spell. The lightning bolt struck down from the sky and slashed onto the monster. Leela turned her aim towards the Troll and the fire arrows began to shower towards the beast non-stop. It was so fast, the druid's hand actually looked slightly blurry.

Kaelyn the Dove waved the quarterstaff in her hand and spun flourishly as she charged towards the Fell Troll. Okku, standing on two legs, used his whole upper body as a weapon to attack the giant. The monster tried to curl back to regenerate but was refrained by Fluffy, who sprang another jet of web to tie it up. Without the chances to rejuvenate, the beast fell quickly

"Nicely done." Gannayev smiled towards the air genasi as he leaned against the dead Troll's body.

Leela slowly lowered her bow, suddenly wished Daeghun or Bishop could be here to see this.

"They will, one day." As if sensing her thoughts, the dreamwalker's smile deepened as he wrenched the arrows from the dead Troll. Something flickered across his handsome face.

The druid did not say anything. She tilted her head and cast the blue habspawn a side-glance. Indeed? When will she see any of them again? Especially some of them are already…

Safiya remained sitting in the knee deep snow as they were getting back to their feed, ready to move on: "What's that?" She pointed at the golden rays of blinding lights in the distance.

"…Is that what I think it is?" Okku seemed to recognize what it was but could not believe it.

Then they all saw it. Guarded by several smaller ones, it was the largest and oldest tree they had ever seen. Its knob and gnarled trunk was twisted and knotted to a degree, it resembled an old man's face. Its root covered the area as large as the Mulsantir city itself, stretching as far as they could see. Rustling in the gentle mid afternoon breeze, its leaves were fleshly green and had brilliant sunlights bursting through its branches. Birds were seen hopping up and down, tweeting and singing contently among the brushwood. Leela blinked her eyes, and again. She was unable to believe such a phenomenon actually existed in Toril.

"This is…." She looked vaguely at the green grass and small yellow flowers under her feet. A small butterfly darted happily between pedals: "I am not in the dreamscape here, am I?"

"Definitely not." Gannayev turned his head around and pointed at the snow what vanished a few steps behind them: "My feet are still soaking wet and freezing cold from working in the snow. I think this must be—"

"Where the Wood Man resides." Kaelyn cocked her head sideways and stared at the glowing tree: "Something you only have to see it to believe it. Gods, wonders of the nature world."

"Magnificent! You don't usually see this in one lifetime." Okku gushed.

"But where is the Wood Man?" Safiya looked around the area.

"Something holding him up," Leela came towards the stem of the tree, placing her hands one the dark, rough bark and glanced up the giant plant: "Or something forbid him to return. Either way, we have no other option but finish Nadaj's quest first. See if by doing so, he will return."

"Perhaps you are right." Safiya rested her chin on one hand, drumming: "While we are here, anyone need magic fire jar?"

"I do." Gannayev raised his hand: "Bit chilly now, don't you think?"

They continued up north. Soon they began to spot some telthor spirits, pacing warily between low bushes and shrubs. Their half-transparent bodies humming in fainted blue lights. Some of them tilted their eyes and stared at Leela curiously. None of them, however, charged at them.

"This is a refreshing change." The air genasi bent down and allowed a telthor badger sniff her hand: "For once, something that I encounter in this forest doesn't attack me."

"Not all spirits are hostile, little one." Okku watched a pair of telthor deer stroll past: "Most of us are peaceful sorts.".

"They still seemed lost and restless." Gannayev frowned: "This is… disturbing. I must say I don't like this feeling, not one bit."

"I wish we could find out what's going on." Safiya looked frustrated: "It's not just the Wood Man, isn't it?"

"No." Kaelyn patted a wolf's head: "It's not…"

"Someone's there." Leela narrowed her eyes as she stared into the distance.

"Tainted spirits?" Safiya moved closer to the air genasi and murmured next to her ears.

"No, don't think so." The druid shook her head: "Can't sense anything sinister on it."

They cautiously pressed on. The low bushes and branches crackled with gentle breeze. Soon, a telthor human spirit sprang into view. Wearing a full suit of armor and an axe in his hand, he looked just as young as the day he passed into the spirit world.

"Arh…" He grinned: "Greetings. We don't usually have visitors these days."

"You are a berserker." Leela observed.

"Yes. I was." The telthor berserker continued to smile: "Now I am part of this, part of the forest."

A telthor bear approached the berserker and gently tugged his cloak. The berserker bent down and listened to the bear for a while before shaking his head at the animal spirit. The spirit seemed deflated slightly and walked off. The berserker straightened up and glanced at the group again.

"I am afraid it's not a very good time to visit the forest at the moment, hunters" His smile faded a little: "The forest is no longer under the telthor protection."

"We are not hunters." Said the air genasi: "And what do you mean 'no longer under the protection'?"

The berserker spirit regarded the druid for a few moments before opening his mouth: "…There is a sanctuary across the water, right in the middle of the lake." He pointed at the water not very far from them.

"Sanctuary?" Leela arched her eyebrow

"It's a place where we could stay without the fear of evil being." The telthor berserker's face saddened: "At least that's what it used to be."

"Huh, what happened?"

"Like most things in this forest, our sanctuary had been existing for a long time. Used to be that the spirit of a powerful dryad watched over it. Supposedly its essence formed a barrier that nothing evil could ever cross."

"What happened to it?" Asked Okku.

"I couldn't say for sure, because it was before my time," The berserker spirit frowned slightly, seemed trying to remember something from his past: "but it is said that hundreds of years ago, an... Unnatural creature came to these woods to feed."

"A Spirit Eater." Leela shot her eyes, feeling terribly guilty for the crime _her kind_ had done.

"Is that what it was called?" The telthor human spirit seemed surprised. He tilted his head slightly: "It came here not for flesh and blood but for the existence of the spirits that dwelt here. It was eventually repelled, but not before it tore the dryad spirit from our sanctuary."

"Oh, gods." Kaelyn's hands flew to her mouth.

"Without such an guardian, our sanctuary soon fell under the invasion." The telthor berserker sighed.

"I am so sorry." Leela sputtered

"Don't be." The spirit smiled sadly:" You weren't here at the time. It wasn't your fault."

"….What is your name?" Asked the air genasi.

"Name?" The berserker's face seemed blank for a few seconds: "It meant nothing to us the moment we past into the spirit world."

"Well, what did they used to call you?"

"…Derek, when I was a hunter in this forest, they used to called me that."

"Derek?"

"Yes." The spirit smiled at the memory: "Those were so long ago. I was a mortal flesh once. I was a bersker, and hunter in this forest. I was the lover of a hathran. Her name was Dalenka."


	22. Chapter 22

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Two – The Tethor and Dalenka **

"Da—Dalenka?" Gannayev blinked his eyes. For a moment, he thought he heard it wrong: "The old hag in the garrison?"

"Oh, now look at who's talking!" Okku grunted.

"I am different. Old grandpa bear." The dreamwalker side-glared the spirit bear, half accusingly: "I have the heritage, I am allowed to tease my own kind!"

"Ignore them." Safiya waved her hand impatiently and urged: "You were once Dalenka's lover?"

"Indeed I was." The half-transparent spirit nodded his head. His lips curled up from the memory: "That was a long, long time ago."

"But to my understanding, Wychlaran aren't meant to have lovers." The Red Wizard frowned: "They dedicate themselves and their lives entirely to the spirits of Rashemen, to the souls of Rashemi…"

"…And she was once a humble mortal, just like the rest of us." Derek cocked his head sideway, eyes distanced in the past lives: "…We were neighbours, almost inseparable from birth. As we grew, our bounds deepened. We vowed spend the rest of our lives together and never be apart. Dalenka was…gifted. She was able to communicate with spirits at very young age and was capable of casting some basic spells way before she even turned five. The Wychlaran came to her house several times. She always turned it down because of me."

"Then what happened?" Asked Leela: "How come you ended up here and she became a hathran?"

"Because I died." Replied the telthor spirit matter-of-factly.

Both Kaelyn and Safiya gasped. The crease on Gannayev's forehead deepened. He looked slightly troubled.

"How did you die?" Whispered the air genasi.

"How…how did I die?" Derek's brow knotted, trying to remember the event: "…I was in the forest…hunting, I believe… We made our offerings to the Spirits before I entered the forest with my mates…We spent days tracking and trailing, but nothing… Then…we bumped into a Fell Troll…."

"Oh-oh." Said Okku.

"…It was…It was trying to kill a bear cub, the poor thing's mother was already dead…somehow…that day…I couldn't bear to hear that poor thing's cry."

"You died for saving a young cub?" Okku was visibly touched.

"My companions…I remembered they thought that were insane, too." The telthor spirit's mouth twitched slightly: "Not a very good way to end your life, especially if you are a berserker, no?"

"What…what happened to Dalenka?" Safiya's face was stricken with sympathy: "Did she know you…you…"

"The words traveled fast in the wind and between the spirits. She knew before the surviving hunter even returned. She knew the moment my head hit the snow." Somehow Derek did not seem to have any emotion on this. Perhaps it was because he was no longer a mortal: "She immediately set off to find me."

"She wasn't…?" Kaelyn arched her eyebrow.

"Grieving? Of course she was. Her tears were still drying on her face when she found me. Her eyes were as red as blood. But…but you must understand, to those who frequently communicate with the spirit, death, is only the beginning." Derek replied calmly: "She found me in Ashenwood, and begged the Wood Man to bound me to the lands here. She went straight to the Wychlaran upon her return and signed up. When her training was finally complete, she volunteered to be assigned here. It had been…so long ago… "

"So you will never be parted." Gannayev concluded thoughtfully.

"Indeed." Smiled the spirit serenely: "In some way, we are as close as we had ever been."

Leela looked at the telthor berserker. Suddenly wondered what it would feel like to be a world apart from your love ones, unable to touch, feel, or sense anything about them. In some way, Derek and Dalenka's story was a happy one. After all, she was a hathran and was able to communicate with spirits. But those were rare, weren't they? How many others ended so badly, neither party could resume their lives normally afterwards?

She suddenly remembered Daeghun. She asked him once about his wife, Shayla, after the West Harbour was attacked. The pain on his face and in his voice was so severe; it shook her deeply to the core. She had never, ever seen her foster father like that in her life. Suddenly the cold, silent ranger became more like a warm-blooded humanoid then what the villagers had said about him through the years.

_"How could you put up with him through these years?"_ Bevil once asked her: _"He's the coldest, dodgiest, cruelest person I've ever met in my entire life!"_

What did she replied him at the time? _"Oi, shut your mouth, Bevil._ He _happened to be my father! Without him, I wouldn't even be here!"_

The people in Sword Coast didn't really believe in spirits. If they did, would her foster father still be in that much pain?

_"Then…I lost everything, again."_

_"Oh, gods…I cannot speak of this anymore… please, leave me."_

What about Bishop and her?

She looked away and stared at the lake. _When this is all finished, where there was nothing left to distract her, how would she live?_

" I am sure you aren't here just to listen my story." Derek's monotone snapped her attention back to the present: "I must emphasize this forest is no longer suitable for any visitor. If you have some business to attend to, please be hasted."

Leela strode towards the lakeshore, stared at the dark water for a moment, watching as the surface rippled in the breeze, before turning her head around towards the telthor berserker.

"Is that the island you mentioned?" She pointed at the isle half hidden in the mist drifting on the lake surface. From where they stood, she could spot some trees and several figures moving behind drapes of the foggy barriers

"Yes." Derek nodded.

"Humph…" The air genasi drummed her fingers at her chin: "I understand it's not a problem to you spirit. Any idea how mortals get there?"

"You…want to get to that place?" Derek arched his eyebrow, seemed mildly surprised.

"I would like to go and have a look." The druid smiled politely: "The hathran happened to mention about the problem there as well."

"Dalenka… told you about the problem?"

"No, not Dalenka." Leela grimaced: "She's a bit…preoccupied by the present situation at the garrison."

"I see." The telthor spirit regarded the druid for a moment before slowly walking along the edge of the water, finally stopped in front of a small thorn bushes and waved his hands. Sparks whooshed out of his fingertips and onto the plants. The bushes moved aside automatically, revealing a small wooden boat, covered with mangrove and mildew: "Will this do? It's been a while somebody had been using it."

The air genasi hopped down the bank and onto the boat. Withdrawing her sword, she removed the vines and some mangrove covering the boat, hopping up and down slightly: "Seems it'll do. Paddles are rotten completely, though."

"Suppose we can always enchant it." Safiya stepped forward and tapped the edge of the boat with the tip of her staff. Some shimmering energy surged through the old wooden craft and wobbled it slightly: "There. All done."

The spirit tilted his head: "I am not sure if your assistance can achieve anything different. With the absence of the Wood Man, everything seems to be out of place. But best of luck, we are truly grateful for what you are doing nonetheless."

"Thank you." Leela awaited others onboard the small boat. Safiya gingerly moved towards the end and gently murmured the command word. The small ferry glided out of the bush and headed straight to the island.

"Now what?" Gannayev turned his head around and looked at the air genasi. The longer hair around her small face flew softly against the wind. The dreamwalker suddenly wondered what was the reason she decided to cut her long hair off. In her memories and dreams, she seemed to have a beautiful long silvery hair.

"Let's see what's on the island first before we decide to make our next move." Said the druid thoughtfully: "I would like not to fight for once if possible."

"Why is that?" The blue hagspawn asked: "I was under the impression you were pretty good at that."

"I have no idea how long this Wood Man quest is." Leela tugged the cloak tighter around her neck: "But I am a little concerned about the curse of mine. I figure the more strength I waste, the easier my craving tips over the edge."

"You mean you are having one now?" Gannayev jolted and stared at the air genasi nervously: "I can't feel anything."

"It's…manageable at this stage." The druid wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her sword. Her back stiffened: "We are nearly there."

They turned their attention back to the approaching island shore. The island slowly revealed as the boat drew near.

The sound of lake water splashed against the wooden vessel. Leela saw a large tree stump perched at one end of the tiny land, with its root spiraling across the whole island. Smaller tree, sprung from the roots, stood around the edge like loyal soldiers, their branches were heavy with snow.

"Look." Kaelyn pointed out the large outline pacing around the island. Skin as white as snow, those humanoid seemed a lot larger than usual. Wrapped entirely in pelts and hides under the armors, their necks were draped with jewelry. Some even extended to their fingers and earlobes. Their faces were almost entirely obscured behind the thick mane of hair, some were as blue as clear sky above and some were grayish yellow. A couple of them sported a huge helmet made of unknown animal skull on the top of their heads.

Leela took a deep breath.

Frost Giants.

* * *

_"Arh…Harshnag the Grim…the frost giant, member of the Gray Hands, protectors of the Waterdeep…" Grobnar sang as Leela stared at the sketch in her hand._

_"Frost Giant?"_

_"You don't know about the Frost Giants?… Oh," The Gnome smirked: "I suppose you don't. You grow up in a swamp, no?"_

_"So what is the Frost Giant?" Leela tapped the book in her hand: "Are they a branch of the giants?"_

_"Yes." A low, husky voice piped up from behind. The air genasi jerked her head around, saw Ammon Jerro emerged from his rune chamber: "Are you holding 'Lores of the Giant Kin'?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Where did you get that from?" Ammon cock his eyebrows: "I don't remember we stacked many lores in the library."_

_"Got it from Deekin." Grobnar smiled, all teeth._

_"Sand will go mad if he saw you reading those things again." Ammon sighed: "Oh well, it should be fun to watch him click his tongue, I suppose. There should be a cite note somewhere, down at the corner of the same page."_

_"How do you know, Jerro?" Grobnar was surprised: "Have you read these…what does Sand called them? Humph…children's bedtime stories, too?"_

_Ammon coughed: "That book was mine."_

_"Indeed?" Grobnar was highly amused: "Then how come it ended up with Deeks?"_

_"That I wouldn't know." The warlord shrugged: "But as far as I know there is only one legit copy and I marked all my books and scrolls. And old habit due to my frequent travel. At any rate, you should find that cite note sufficient enough."_

_"…They are mostly living in the cold mountains…" Leela scanned the page: "…Like Icewind Dale?"_

_"Likely." Ammon grunted._

_"Have you ever seen one?" Gronbar asked._

_"…Tsk-tsk, " The warlord laughed: "I've killed the whole tribe." _

_

* * *

_

"Frost giants?" Safiya tilted her head: "Red Wizards have scouts here as well, we've never heard any report on sighting them in Ashenwood!"

"Well, we have one now." Gannayev whistled cooly: " Still want to talk to them?"

"Why not?" Leela shrugged; "They bound to spot us by now and the fact they haven't start hurling any rocks at us is a good sign, right?"

"Frost Giant has never been the negotiating type." Kaelyn added: "I suggest we stay alert."

"Excellent notion," The corner of the druid's mouth twitched: "Spells ready, and hands on weapons."

The boat docked at the far end of the island. The druid got off the ship, carefully step onto the snow. Her boots made a squeaking sound as she moved forward. It didn't take long for the Giants to notice them. They whispered and grunted at each other's ears and cast Leela and her companions looks made them feel as if they were the most hideous things in Toril.

Eventually, one of the Frost Giants came forward. His sapphire bread were braided in several strands and tied with some silver chains. He sported a large battleaxe that was as large as a round shield. Looked like he was the leader of this tribe.

"Well, well, well, lookie!" Speaking in some unknown tongue, the Giant glared at the air genasi with certain insolence in his eyes: "Bugs!"

The rest Frost Giant burst out laughing.

"I don't think that's Common." The air genasi whispered to Kaelyn the Dove.

"It's Jotunise, the Giant-Kin language." The half-celestial whispered back.

"Is that what it is?"

"Yep."

"So what is it you are doing on our island, buggie?" The Giant-Kin leader sneered "Looking for some shiny animals?"

More laughter.

"Now, I don't know better, I think we had just been insulted." Leela stared at the Frost Giant warningly, arms folded: "Speak something that we understand, if you may."

"Well if you were speaking in giant tongue to me I wouldn't expect to understand you either, don't you know?" The leader of the Giant-Kin tribe coughed and switched to Common: "You is just lucky that I is not killing you right this instant for standing on my ground. But I feel lazy today."

"Indeed?" The air genasi arched her snowy eyebrow:" Now tell me, why is there a tribe of Frost Giants here, right in the middle of Ashenwood?"

"I is the jarl here," The Giant punched his chest: "that's all that matter now. Well my old tribe believed that only the strongest giant should be jarl, and that if a jarl wasn't the strongest, he should leave in shame. Any of us could challenge our jarl for his crown."

"Okay."

"When I won the challenge," The Frost Giant waved his hands exaggurately: "so great was my victory that I also won the respect of the entire tribe. Except for Didrik."

"Now you've got to fill me out here." Leela shrugged: "Who's Didrik?"

"Didrik was the runt of the tribe. But his strength was in his cleverness." Jarl swallowed: "I had just become a jarl and before I had my breath he challenged me, I was so tired that he beat me easily."

"Wait." The air genasi reached out her hand: "If everybody who loses is exiled, and anyone can challenge whenever they want, how many giants left in your tribe?"

"Well," Jarl waved his battleaxe absent-mindedly: "for a long time we had one jarl who was so tough that we wasn't strong enough to beat him. But after he got old and he started weakening, everybody was starting up challenges. We was a big tribe, several hundred strong to start. But when the challenges started, most of us was getting exiled."

"Not a very smart way to run a large family, let me assure you that." Okku nodded,

"After I and these other giants left, there was only Didrik."

"Oh, my." Gannayev laughed: "How clever, now he has no one to boss around!"

"Everybody but one giant in your old tribe was exiled?" Leela's eyebrow shot up.

"Ja, I think he must be crying so hard that his tears is starting avalanches. Little baby avalanches, because he is so runty." Jarl sniggered.

"I'm not sure how you didn't see this coming." Leela chuckled and shook her head.

Well the system wasn't the best but at least we mostly got a strong jarl. Although some tendays the jarl was better than others." The Frost Giant grimaced: "Well we still like to have a strong jarl. This is the best way to pick him.

Suddenly the air genasi had a thought: "You would take a challenge from anybody? What about me?"

"WHAT?" Her companions cried in unison.


	23. Chapter 23

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Three – The Last Man Standing **

"Is this one of your 'diplomatic, non-fighting' solution?" Gannayev whispered next to Leela's ears: "Because I don't get it."

"This is the most unwise, little one." Okku growled. His back arched into an threatening stance: "There is a whole tribe of Frost Giants here and the possibility of them all attacking you at once after you defeat the jarl is pretty high."

Kaelyn and Safiya simply looked at the air genasi warily, with concern and warning written all over their face.

"Are you sure about this, Lee?" The Red Wizard cocked her eyebrows queryingly.

"Trust me, I believe this is the easiest, and the most effortless way." The druid replied in low voice before turning her head back towards the Giants again.

"So what do you say? May I challenge you?" Asked the air genasi.

"Well…." The Frost Giant studied Leela from head to toe, while waved his hand and beckoned two more man from his tribe over and whispered something at their ears: "I suppose if we want the strongest jarl that anyone can challenge. But you is not going to win so it's not a problem."

Then they burst into laughter again. The druid saw Gannayev's eyes narrow, his hands crunched into fists. Her fingers brushed past his briefly, hinting him to remain where he was.

"Sure," She heard her calm voice replied: "Tell me how it works."

"Ordinary challengers," The Giant leader arched his eyebrow, there was despise written all over his face: "has to show he can defend the crown better than the jarl. So he stands in front of the crown and the jarl tries to take it from him. If the jarl can take back the crown and hold it for a while, he wins. If he is knocked out, well, then he doesn't win."

"Very well," Leela took a deep breath: "then I challenge your crown, giant."

The surrounding Giants stirred, some even showed certain excitement on their face. The possibility of any of them getting hold on the crown was so great; it was hard to contain it. The air genasi placed her hands on the hilt of her sword, waiting for the murmurs to settle, and looked at the jarl's face, filled with the utmost amusement, for the final decision.

"So be it." Finally he crackled his knuckles: "I is accepting your challenge."

"Now listen up." The Jarl looked at Leela sternly as he handed over his crown. The air genasi lowered her gaze and stared at the gem embedded platinum Giant-kin artifact while the leader explained: "I is still the jarl, I can make a new rule."

"What?" Okku, Gannayev and Safiya's eyebrows nearly shot to the sky, while Kaelyn's frown deepened. Her wings fluttered slightly, seemed trying her best to control her emotions.

"Fair enough." The air genasi nodded and gestured the jarl to continue: "Go on."

"In this and all future challenges, you is going to have to protect the crown from all the giants, not just me, haw haw." The corner of his mouth twitched, ignoring the outrage gasps from his opponent's companions: "And maybe you is going to have to fight some of us more than once because we is all excited to beat you up many times."

"Is that so?" Leela suddenly smiled, in a way that made the Jarl's wicked snigger evaporate into the thin air: "Shall we start it then?"

The Frost Giant's eyes narrowed: "Time to defend your crown, little bug!"

He crossed his arms and barked something in Jotunise. Almost immediately, two Frost Giants slowly stepped forward and walked towards the air genasi and her companions, their battleaxes shun under the glittering sun. Both of them were snarling, hissing something in the Giant-kin language. One of them stretched out his free hand and went straight towards the crown.

"Fluffy!" Leela yelled. Almost at the same time, the eight legged companion shot out two squirts of web towards the Giant. The webs instantly pinned him at the nearby tree. Eyes bulging, the remaining Giant scowled at the druid and smashed his battleaxe down at the air genasi. She spun and dived past the huge axe, one leg kicked right at the Frost Giant's temple, knocking him out.

"Lee!" Safiya yelled from the different direction. The druid jerked her head around and saw three more giants running towards the crown at top speed. She swore, cast metour swarm towards the group. Clouds gathered and fireballs smashed down upon them from the sky. Nearby, blinding light shot out from Kaelyn's hands, every single Giant's movement slowed down significantly. Gannayev rushed past her and threw his quarterstaff at one of them. It stabbed right at the giant's heart. The poor creature swayed, toppled over and rolled his eyes upwards before eventually stopping breathing. Smirking, the blue hagspawn then withdrew his crossbow and fired at the other two giants, one now had the crown in his hand.

"I is the jarl now!" The blue hair Frost Giant roared.

"Oh, no you don't!" Okku growled. He leaped and landed on the top of the large humanoid. The telthor bear waved his claws and bashed the Giant until he dropped the crown.

Leela pulled out her Drow bow, aimed at the only standing giant. A fire arrow automatically appeared. The air genasi gently released the string and watched the arrow shot straight towards its target. The azure haired creature was immediately on fire. He quickly abandoned his quest, went to the lakeshore and jumped in. The druid turned and aimed at another Frost Giant, who tried to snatch the artifact while they were busy, and fired again. That one changed his course and headed straight to the lake as well.

"Another one eats the dust." One corner of her mouth curved up.

Two more waves of Frost Giants attacked from all directions. Leela was surrounded by three of them. She carefully stood over the crown, guarding it between her boots. The air genasi cast a challenging glance at the Giants around her, outstretched her hands and beckoning her fingers. Rage glittered through the eyes of huge creatures and all of them charged forward at once. The druid withdrew daggers from her belt and threw them towards one of them. They hit straight at his heart. The arrogant beast barely had a chance to say anything else before dropping his knees on the ground and died. She then dived slightly to avoid another Giant's battleaxe attack, while muttering something under her breath. Water drops suddenly appeared around the Giant and wrapped him in a huge water mass, drowning him within minute.

Safiya stood in front of a yellow-haired Frost Giant defiantly. Her fingers crackled and her tattooed eyebrow arched slightly. The Giant sneered, before waving his punches at the small Red Wizard. The Thayan woman leapt sideways, sprung around and cast the Magic Missile on him. Several rounds of the purple arrows later, the Giant staggered and toppled over. Nearby, Gannayev fired more bolts to block another wave of Giant attack ascending from the other side of the island before decided to switch back to his quarterstaff. Seizing this chance, a Frost Giant grabbed him by the ankle and he was hanging in the mid air upside down in the next minute. The Giant gave him an teeth baring grin before shaking him violently. Head throbbing with pain, the blue hagspawn lost all the ability to even speak.

"Gann!" Leela's heart nearly missed a beat. She jerked her head around and looked at Fluffy, who seemed to immediately read its master's mind and hopped down from a large tree and onto the Giant who still now swung around the poor dreamwalker like a cat. A couple shots of web fired out from the spider managed to pin the beast on the ground and drop Gannayev not very far from him.

"Are you alright?" The air genasi completely forgot about the crown and rushed over. She pulled the blue hagspawn back to his feet and looked at him worriedly.

"…It takes more than a few shakes to beat me, my sweet." The usual smirk slowly flew up on the corner of his mouth:

"Of course." The druid chuckled. She turned and returned to the crown.

At some stage, Okku took over and decided to sit down with the crown between his lower legs, while Safiya cast a heavy protective shield around him. Kaelyn rose into the mid air and tackled those giants with the help of her summoned planetar. Leela unsheathed 'Ice Maiden', using the nearby tree to leap onto one of the Giant's shoulders, clamped her legs around his neck tightly and sunk the weapon deep into the back of his neck. Gannayev hopped over a dead Frost Giant, wrenched an arrow from the body, sprung around and stabbed it onto one that was punching the telthor bear god. The arrow went through and came out from the other end.

"Arh! Now I is the jarl!" Working with another tribal mate, a sandy hair Frost Giant managed to break the shield and distract Okku long enough to snatch the crown.

Watching the huge man yelping and jumping in front of her, Leela narrowed her eyes and aimed her long bow at the excited giant. Just as she was about to fire the arrow, her companion spider Fluffy hopped onto her shoulder and one squirt of web, the crown was back into the druid's hand.

"Good work, buddy!" The air genasi patted Fluffy's head, smirked and watched in satisfactory the Giant's face turned into deeper shades of red. He let out a frustrated roar and charged straight towards her. The druid targeted her bow and fired several shots at him. The blue haired giant collapsed after a loud bang and his roar turned into painful shriek.

"You is going a really good job." The Giant Jarl's thunderous voice rose near them again: "Now the game is over, and I is not going to let you take away the crown!"

Leela turned her head around just in time to see the Giant leader's battleaxe piercing down through the air and on the top of her. She leaped and rolled aside, avoiding his attack. The druid sprung, sweeping her leg under the Frost Giant, attempting to tripe him over. The plan failed, the Jarl barely raised his leg and kicked her right on the stomach. She hissed, feeling her internal organs shift and her bones cracked into pieces. Pain rippled through her body. She inhaled, gritted her teeth, waiting for the pain to subside slightly, and managed to sit up, just in time to see the Giant leader wrestling with Okku.

Someone touched her upper arm, immediately the air genasi felt a warm current of energy wash over her, soothing most of her physical pain. She looked up, over her shoulder and has been greeted with Gannayev'e deep blue eyes, shimmering with concern and concentration from casting the spell. She gave him a brief nod, before returning her attention back to the crown.

"Kaelyn." Leela cast a side-glance at the half-celestial: "Pause him."

Sparks shot forth from the Dove's dark eyes. Smirking, she stepped forward and waved her staff. Bright light beamed out from the tip and hovered over the Frost Giant. Within minutes he was suspended, unable to move a muscle.

"I think that should be enough." Still limping, the druid slowly walked towards the Jarl, smile danced upon her face: "The crown is still with me, you lose."

The Giant continued to glare at Leela, eyes bursting with rage, but still immobile by the magic inflicted on him. Around them, the surviving Frost Giants gathered. Chests deflated, each of them had the defeated sulk on their face.

"As the new jarl." The air genasi flicked the crown with her fingertip: " I believe I am able to give out orders and alter the roles, yes?"

A stiff nod from the leader, as he was still bind from the spell.

"Well, here is the new rule," The druid arched her snowy eyebrow: " I want you, all of you, get off this island."

"Where shall we go?" One of the Giants asked.

"You can always go back to…what's his name" Leela cocked her head sideway: "Didrik?"

"I is never going back to Didrik!" The Giant leader finally regained his movement. He waved his arms and looked rather grumpy.

"I don't think you have a choice for that matter?" The air genasi shoveled the tip of her sword up to his chin, eyes silted: "_I is_ the jarl now!"

The Giant did not reply straight away but glared at the druid with full unwillingness and grudge. Nose flared, his fist tightened and released repeatedly. Finally, after what felt like a century, he grunted: "This is the worst thing that happened to a jarl. It is even more shameful than when Didrik knocked me over and sat on me and called me his new throne!"

"So will you be going then?" Leela's chin tilted slightly.

"'Course. Rule is rule." The Frost Giant sighed, turned around and barked orders in Jotunise: "Off we go!"

"You know," Gannayev watched as the Giant-kin walked off the island, some limping from the injuries they got during the fight: "I actually start feeling a little sorry for these guys, just a little!"

"Sure you do." The air genasi grinned: "Wait until one of them kick you right on the stomach and you might change your mind. Now what? They are gone."

"I don't feel any difference." Okku looked around thoughtfully.

"We might need to manually restore the protecting shield on this island." Safiya frowned and folded her arms.

"Easier for you to say." The blue hagspawn twitched the corner of his mouth: "Where on Toril are we going to find a Dryad willingly follow us here and guard this island without any complaint? They tend to tie to their trees."

"Point taken." The Red Wizard cast him a side glare.

"What's that?" Kaelyn pointed at a tree stump near the bushes. Almost as big as a round table, it was crawled with vines and covered in snow. The remains seemed to shimmer in glowing blue light.

Leela cocked one side of her eyebrow and walked toward the mysterious tree stump. It was hollow and filled with clear water, swirling and splashing about inside. The glittering light seemed to be from the liquid itself. She dipped her fingers inside the pool. It was icy cold. The druid reached for her rucksack and found an empty vial. She took some water and observed it closely.

"The water in here seems to be enchanted." She commented: "Though I cannot see what kind of magic quality that was inside this water."

"The sacred pool used to be the residence of the Dryad." A familiar tranquil voice interrupted the confusion. The air genasi jerked her head around and found Derek stood near the boat.

"This was…Dryad's tree?" Safiya sputtered.

"Yes."

"We had cleared this island." The druid straightened up and looked at the telthor spirit: "However, we are uncertain how to restore the protection for this place."

"To restore the protection for our sanctuary," Derek smiled: "A powerful spirit is needed."

"Huh?" Leela frowned: "we are aware of that. But we—."

"Wait," The Red Wizard pressed her hand on the air genais' upper arm, indicated her to pause for a moment: "You mean it doesn't have to be a Dryad?"

"A powerful guardian spirit would be sufficient enough." The telthor berserker tilted his head slightly and nodded.

"Arh! I think I can do something about that…just wait there." The Red Wizard beamed. She quickly turned around and looked for her backpack. Kaelyn nearby seemed to get what Safiya was about to do, her face suddenly lightened up.

"What are you doing?" The crease on Leela's forehead deepened.

"I've seemed other tutor did it, back in the academy." Her both hand were inside the rucksack, trying to push aside the stack of scrolls she picked up on their journey: "About how to bound a spirit to a certain places. There are several ways, and this one is one of the better ones…. Got it!"

She extracted her hands and withdrew a large Brilliant Spirit Essence. Glowing in emerald hue, the object seemed like a breathing being in the daylight.

"Essence…what are you going to do with it?" Okku puzzled. He wasn't the only one. Both Gannayev and Leela stared at the Red Wizard in bewilderment.

"Place it into the host of the previous guardian." Safiya whistled, while Derek's smile deepened. Several other telthor animals started to appear next to him as well. All of them looked at the Thayan rather excitedly. It looked like she was on the right track.

The Red Wizard walked toward the sacred pool and placed the Essence into the water gingerly. The heavy object slowly sunk to the button. For a moment, there was nothing happening. Then gradually the shimmering light inside the tree stump grew brighter. It soon covered everyone, the trees, and then the entire island. With a burst of energy, several light boulders emerged and formed a hedge around the island. Leela suddenly felt different. She felt more secure, calmer, and safer.

"The telthor spirit sanctuary is now restored." The telthor berserker clapped his hands together happily.


	24. Chapter 24

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Four – By the Campfire  
**

_West Harbour was burning._

_Covering his mouth with one hand and tugging the other under his elbow, he stood at the end of the small path and watched as the flames danced, played and engulfed the farmhouse, the barn and everything at the hungry speed. Thick smoke and the generated heat wrapped around the whole village tightly, made things vague and blurry. Every now and then, he would see people, or some hideous looking dark creatures, bursting through the smoke, running past him. Some looked absolutely horrified; some were laughing wickedly, and some clearly in pain. There were more noises in the distance: weapons clung together, dying people screaming, some, militias he believed, shouting on the top of their lung, the slaughterers laughed wickedly. He slowly walked past them, knowing full well they weren't be able to see him. They were part of the dreamscape—someone else's dreamscape. They were not his._

_Carefully stepped across the bridge, and up the hill. Past some dead animals, corpse, and still steaming houses. He finally heard what he was after—a man's cry. A painful, heartbreaking, soul lost cry. He slowly climbed up the hill and saw a young man, no more than the age 30, with sandy hair, muscular and fully armoured, hovering over a woman's body and roared like an injured lion. The woman's once creamy skin was now wax-like, her auburn eyes stared blankly ahead—they were soulless. It was clear she had been dead for quite some time._

"_No… Amie!" The man's whole body was shaking uncontrollably: "No…please come back…"_

_His glance drifted towards the blue skinned woman standing next to him. Clenching her sword tightly, her shoulders were deflated and slacked. She looked very beautiful. Her long, unbraided silver hair was wild in the wind. Her eyes were tightly shut, but he knew they were dark velvet just like his. Her snowy eyebrows were in knots, he knew she was as grief stricken as her friend._

"_Bevil…" She whispered quietly. Her voice thickened with suppressed sadness: "We must go."_

"_No…" Bevil shook his head grumpily: "I will not leave her!"_

"_You and I both know it's useless. She's gone." She stepped forward and placed her hand on her childhood friend's shoulder. Bevil grunted and jerked it off. She stared at Bevil's shoulders, traces of pain…or something deeper, flickered through her eyes._

"_I WILL NOT LEAVE HER!" Shouted Bevil._

"_The next wave of attack could be happened in any minute, Bevil." The woman sighed._

"_To Hells with next attack!" The man growled: " I will never leave her!"_

"_Bevil, be sensible."_

"_No, I will not!" Bevil shouted: "I spend my entire life being the sensible one, and look at what it leads me? Amie is now dead! Do you have a heart, genasi? She was your friend, too!"_

_The woman's grip around her sword tightened even more. She seemed deeply hurt by what her friend had just said. Still sobbing, the man now picked up Amie and cradled her in his arms, rocking back and forth, and mumbling something inaudible, completely ignored what was around him. _

"_Forgive me, Bevil." Eventually she inhaled: "Forgive me for what I am about to do."_

_The woman raised her hand, fingers waving. Vines shot out of her fingertips and flew straight towards Bevil, wrapped him tightly within seconds. Next thing he knew, he was being dragged away from Amie's body, inches above the ground._

"_NO!" Bevil cried: "No! Let me down! You heartless shrew! Let me down, Leela! LET ME DOWN! Amie, Amie, AMIE!"_

* * *

Gannayev slowly got up from his bedroll. From the quiet surroundings he knew he was no longer in dreamscape, he had returned to the mortal world of Toril. The air was crisp, not hot. A few short strolls away, outside the protective shield Safiya had cast, thick snow remained solid on the ground. The moon half hidden over the dark fluttering tree line. In the distance, a wolf howled. The blue hagspawn glazed over the camp and stopped at the fire, now died down and glittered in crimson shimmering glow, for a moment, before drifting towards the air genasi nearby.

Leela was still asleep, undoubtfully in some dream of hers. Wrapped under the blanket, she looked absolutely exhausted. Her skin looked pale and wax-like. Shadows cast under her eyes and long lashes. Her eyebrows were in frown, and her lips slightly parted, moving every now and murmured something that he didn't understand in her dream.

For two days, they tramped through the snow covered land, past waves of blight beast, all the way to the far south of the Ashenwood, to the Burning Grove, they found the source of one of their problems: a strange Shape of Fire creature. The creature seemed to have special grudge with the Wood Man and recognized the druid at once about her curse. It was delighted, claimed the time had finally come and begged her to rid of the Wood Man at once, believing she was the only what that could defeat the Ashenwood spirit. The air genasi refused point blank its vengeance and nearly got torched by the angry spirit. But before their negotiation turned sour, the creature mentioned lost to an ice hag once and it was possible the monster now straying in a place called Immil Vale, located at the east of Ashenwood.

Leela decided it was for the best to put the fire out. So they headed towards the said location. On their way, they came across a sick treant Gnarlthorn, who appeared to be the center of the blight problem. It told them the blight started when another Spirit Eater visited the area long ago.

_"Lovely." The air genasi grunted, folding her arms._

_Gannayev chuckled, and listened to the old tree instructing his companion the only possible way it knew on how to remove the blight—to make an 'strong petition' to the god Chauntea. In order to make a strong petition, there were three untainted things within this forest that were needed. _

"_Untainted?" Safiya piped up: "Will this vial of water we collected on that island do?"_

_A hint of joy flickered through the dying tree's pain stricken face: "then our job is half done. I have some …Blight leaves right here." It pulled over one of its still-green branches and picked off some leaves, before handing over to them: "one more to go. Thank you…for your help. And best of luck."_

They figured they should be able to find something once the fire was put out, so dealing with the Shape of Fire first would be their best bet. Kaelyn suggested it might be worth to check out if the story of ice hag was true in Immil Vale, so the group continued their journey to the east.

That was when Leela suddenly collapsed.

One minute she was still laughing at some jokes he made, while trying to wretch her boots out from the deep snow. The next minute she was on the ground like a puppet without strings, shivering and sweating bucket loads. Feeling if his blood had suddenly frozen inside his body, the blue hagspawn was root on the spot, watching in shocking horror as Safiya and the Dove rushed over and checked on her. According to the Red Wizard, she had been suppressing her craving for far too long, the beast within her decided to consume the air genasi's spirit energy instead. It took the wizard and the half-celestial a while to steady her. By then sun was already down; they decided to call it the day and find an abandoned camp for the night. The Thayan wizard and Kaelyn, for the good measure, cast multiple protective spells around them before settled themselves down by the fire.

The dreamwalker adjusted his legs to cross sitting position. He tilted his head sideways and studied the druid. How long has she been holding it before the effect taking over? All she had to do was letting go of her grip on the craving, leaping onto the nearest spirit, and she would feel better, why did she insist on not indulging the hunger inside her, well, perhaps not all the time, but occasionally?

The branches overhead waved and stirred. He jerked his head up and noticed it was only wind. So he lowered his gaze back on the air genasi again.

He wondered what dreamscape she was in now. Was it one of those pleasant ones, before her home village burned down? She looked very different back then. Less frown on her forehead, and she laughed more often, wholeheartedly, then she was now…. Or those with the raggedly handsome ranger? His heart jolted with sudden hint of jealousy. He immediately brushed it aside. Well, perhaps not, judging by the nature of those dreams lately, he seriously doubted they would be pleasant.

He had seen all her dreams, almost all of them, and often wondered how could a girl hold so much inside her and not having any emotional breakdown. Leela always appeared to be calm and collected, apart from the one they had on the boat, and the one at the night before facing Okku back in Mulsantir, she seldom let slip of her emotions. The air genasi usually spent ages listening to the others, including himself, talking about their lives. When was the last time she talked about hers, and yet from what he had seen in her dreams, they were the most exciting ones of all?

_"Your hair used to be long," Gannayev observed the druid as she leaned over a dead treant and inspected fungus inside. Apparently it was died of tube wilt and not the blight: "What happened to them?"_

"_What's wrong with my hair now?" Leela cast him a side glare. _

_He didn't reply. The usual mocking smirk hung on the corner of his mouth. The air genasi gave him a weird look before turning her attention back to the track ahead._

"_Don't look at me" Safiya shook her head as he turned toward her: "Do I look like a gossip girl to you?_

"_Well, it's not exactly gossiping." The dreamwalker shrugged. _

"_I think it kind of does." The Red Wizard gave him an evil glare: "At any rate, she chopped them off."_

"_Why, I figured that much, thank you very much, my sweet. Is this a recent event?" He rolled his eyes._

"_Fairly, it was right before we went to pick you up, in the Mulsantir market." The Thayan woman shrugged._

"_Such a shame." The blue hagspawn sighed._

"_That I agree." Safiya sighed with envy: "She did mumble something, though. When I asked her why she did it."_

"_What was it?"_

"'_The star has fallen, the color shall be shed.'"_

Gannayev rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. He wished…he wished he could share some of her burden, some of her pain. Seeing her carried all of these by herself somehow… made his heart ache at strange places. It was unusual to him, as he was usually the one who caused heartache.

_What's happening to him?_

_He behaved like a lovesick boy._

_No, it cannot be. He never believed love existed, didn't he?_

_Then how did he explain what he felt now?_

"Don't go. No." A suddenly murmur from Leela jerked him back to the present. The blue hagspawn frowned towards the air genasi, thought for a moment she had wakened up, only to realize she was still dreaming. Streak of tear marks hung on her face, suggested she had been crying. Without knowing what he was doing, of if any of his traveling party were awake, the dreamwalker hopped up from his bedroll and moved closer toward the druid. He leaned forward, reached out his hand and very gently, ran his finger gently along her cheek, brushing a few strands of her silver hair away from her face. Tenderness was written all over his face.

"Come back." The air genasi mumbled again. More tears brimming out from the edge of her lashes. Gannayev caught them with his index finger, wiped them off softly.

"Hush, my sweet." He whispered: "I am not going anywhere."

The vulnerability of his companion at this very moment shook him to the core. Unable to hold it, the blue hagspawn tipped his head, and pressed his lips against her cheek.

"What are you doing, hagspawn?" A low growl suddenly raised across the campfire, disturbing the quietness around them. The dreamwalker leaped back hastily and nearly tripped over by the blanket on the ground.

"Wha—Okku?" He panted, trying the hardest to calm down his rapid heartbeat: "You startled me."

"Am I now?" The telthor spirit cocked his eyebrow amusingly: "Now tell me, what were you just doing to our beloved friend there? Please don't tell me you were checking if she was breathing."

"What if I was?"

"I wasn't born yesterday, in case you didn't notice." The bear god shook his head: "Is that how you scare the Nine Hells out of those poor farmers? Sneak into their precious daughters' bedrooms and kiss them in their sleep?"

"No, I do not…" Gannayev protested.

The blanket rustled behind them: "What's going on? How long have I been out?"

"A few hours, little one." Okku gave the blue hagspawn a meaningful glare before answering Leela's question: "You should told us about your spirit energy."

"I can manage." The air genasi looked at him: "I believed I can manage."

"Well, you cannot, apparently." The telthor spirit grunted: "And you had us all worried. Although I do not approve you devour spirits on sight, there must be a way to handle your craving problem. The Red Wizard managed to find that scroll the hathran gave you just in time. Have it ever crossed your mind to use that at least once?"

"I…I forgot." Leela scratched her head.

"Well, let us know next time so one of us can remind you." The bear god cast her a half-angry glare before stomping off.

"Don't worry about him." Safiya patted her friend's shoulder: "He was just worried. We all were. You shouldn't scare us silly like that."

"I'm sorry… I…" The air genasi stuttered.

"There is no need." The Red Wizard gave her a smile: "The Sun's almost up, Lee. Go back to rest for another couple of hours before we continue on our journey, aye?"

"Safiya?"

"Lee?"

"… Thank you."


	25. Chapter 25

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Five – The Immil Vale**

_It was as if the earth had cracked opened. Steam burst out from between rocks and dry grass, blurring everything they saw. Red glowing light shimmered among the darkened rocks, when approached, pools of lava bubbling and swirling away, tugging their nerves and sending goosebumps down their spine. The air was sticky and hot, every breath they inhaled nearly send their blood to the boiling point. All of them were sweating buckets._

"_Arh…I can feel that my clan was here…long ago. Look at the size of this mountain—the thought of my kin fighting their way to the top. Must have been a glourious battle." The dwarven warrior Khelgar Ironfist, unfazed by the hellish surroundings, stared at the sight of Mount Galadrym and sighed in content._

"_Bloody Nine Hells," Bishop grunted, pulling his collar slightly: "It's this hot already and we haven't meet those fire giant yet. Please don't tell me they live right on the crater of those volcanos!"_

"_I need to drink something ice cold!" Neeshka fanned her face: "What was that drink they served us in Sunken Flagon? Duncan's finest? Well, whatever, I am drinking it"_

"_I was under the impression tieflings aren't really troubled by those kind of thing." The ranger half-glanced at the rogue. _

"_Hello, I still have a limit!" Neeshka's hands were both on her waist: "And this is way beyond that!"_

"_Oh, well. The sooner we get this done, the better." Elanee the druid shrugged: "I don't suppose we can ask those giant nicely to return the belt, aye?"_

"_Nah, fight your way and grab the belt is more fun." Khelgar slammed his knuckles onto the palm of another: "Heheh."_

"_First we had to crawl through that hideous rings that lead us to Gods-knows-where, now we have to climb this steaming hot mountain to 'talk nicely' to the Fire Giants. Oh, jolly good fun!" Bishop rolled his eyes._

"_Still don't like the portals, I take it?" Leela chuckled._

"_No." Replied the ranger simply: "And I am so glad we don't have to use the portal to get here."_

_The air genasi smiled. She reached out her hand and gently tugged Bishop's cloak, straightening it back. The scout flashed a side-glance at her, grabbing her hand and pressed the fingertips against his lips tenderly. Suddenly, Mount Garadrym, their companions, and the entire Toril vanished. It was only he and she…_

* * *

"Wyverns." Leela uttered almost to herself as she watched the giant lizards pacing back and forth at the bottom of the narrow path. Their heavy grunting voice could be heard through the swirling smoke, emitting from the volcano under their feet: "And several of them. What a lovely change."

"Indeed." Gannayev grinned, cocking his head sideway. "A nice change from being frozen to dead, no?"

"A funny place for a ice hag to hide." Safiya's arms folded and arched her tattooed eyebrows.

"Yeah, good point." Okku looked at the blue hagspawn next to him: "An ice hag in volcanic area?"

"You're asking me?" The dreamwalker cast the spirit leader an absurd look: "I was abandoned by a hag at a tender young age—"

A loud roar shook the ground they stood on. Small rocks crumbled down the cliff next to them.

"Oopsie!" Kaelyn the Dove withdrew her quarterstaff and hunched her back: "They noticed us!"

The sound of wings flapping could be heard through the heavy drapes of steams. Something large and heavy landed right in front of them, sending a gush wind blowing straight at their faces, clearing the smoke away. At about four meters high, the beast glared down at them, eyes beaming with fury. Its red scales glittered under the fainted sun hidden behind all the smoke and humid steams. The wyvern tilted its head; nose flared, before opening its mouth and breathed fire straight at the group. They dived away just in time.

Another thud sent the path they stood on quiver. One of the other giant lizards also noticed them and jointed in. It slashed its tail spike and swiped towards their direction. Leela jumped over the large tail and managed to hop onto its back. Quick as a flash, she unsheathed her dagger and synched it into the back of its skull. The beast made a couple of rattling noises before collapsing.

"Leela! BEHIND YOU!" Gannayev cried. The air genasi jerked her head up, just in time to see another wyvern's huge claws smashing down straight at her. She leaped down the dead giant beast, allowing the other's claws crush its body. Bits of flesh splattered everywhere.

The druid wiped the blood away from her face, leaving several smudges. The crimson blood drops also got into her silvery hair, making her look incredibly wicked and dark. She withdrew her Ice Maiden and held it tightly in her hand, before arching her eyebrow at the remaining wyvern by the cliff. The beast snarled, its wing flapped furiously, and charged directly toward the knight commander. She dived away again; slide down the slop and onto the next corner. Her fingers out stretched and shimmering, several magic arrows flew straight out of her hand and hit the lizard. The giant creature staggered a bit, shook its head and swore something in Dragonic, before glaring at her angrily.

"Safiya." There was another pair of wyvern's gigantic shadows moving behind the smoky fog, Leela cleared her throat and shouted over her shoulders: "Cast something…not fire."

The Red Wizard giggled. Her fingers sparkled and soon magic missiles rained, burning holes on both the dry ground and the giant lizard. The arcane spell penetrated through their scales. The giant lizard roared in pain, and their attack became aggressive.

The blue hagspawn leaped down the slop and landed next to the air genasi. His long hair swayed wildly in the air. He steadied himself, took a side glace at her and began to click his tongue.

"Oh, my, my." He smirked: "You are that desperate to compete with me, are you? Covered with blood? That's new. Here." He waved his fingers and cast a rejuvenation spell to remove the red splatter and smudges on her: "Like me, blue suit you the best."

Leela frowned and blushed a little, before turning her attention back to the two giant lizards that were now circling around her.

"Immune to standard magic." She mumbled: "Well, looks like we will have to do this the old fashioned way."

She reached for her back and pulled out her katana sword. She found this medium sword from a small drow merchant at the docks market, just before they headed off to the Ashenwood. According to the merchant, he found it on the way to the surface in the Undermountain, lying next to a dead advanture's body. Safiya got enough essences to have their entire weapon stuck enchanted when they were on the boat.

She hasn't had a chance to use it yet. Looked like today was a perfect day.

She switched the katana sword in her left hand, and held the Ice Maiden tightly in another. The druid hunched her back and lowered her stance, readied to leap out at any minute. The wyvern snarled and dived its head at her, mouth wide opened, readied to snap her in half. Leela leaped aside and rolled on the sandy ground. The air genasi quickly sprung back to her feet and swung the katana toward her back. The sharp blade glittered under the pale sun. The giant lizard paused; made a few series of unidentifiable rattling sounds, and then its head slide off its neck. Dark blood immediately poured out from the gash on its neck.

The druid turned, found Gannayev had shot several bolts at the other wyvern and was now darting between its spiked tail attack, trying his hardest not to get poked several holes on his body, while Fluffy, being tossed in the mid air, squirted two shots of web toward the beast, ready to pin it down where it stood. The air genasi rushed to the giant lizard, hopped up the slop near the creature and jumped. Her upper body sprung, and her swords held backward. She landed on the back of the huge beast and stabbed the monster vigorously. Icicles emerged between its scales. The giant lizard screamed in pain. It shook the body violently, intending to throw Leela off. The druid clamped her leg on its neck tightly and continued to wave her swords away. On the ground, Safiya cast Magic Missile Arrows at the beast, attempting to cause some more damage and distraction, while the blue hagspawn re-aimed his crossbow and fired continuously. Before long, the huge monster swung and finally collapsed.

For a while, the air genasi leaned against the dead wyvern's body, panting, unable to utter a single syllable. Her body was totally drenched with sweat. Her silver hair were wet against her cerulean face. She glanced sideway, noticed Gannayev was the same, and totally soaked from top to toe, lying flat on the ground, too busy to fill his lung with air than mumbling anything. A few steps away from them, Okku and Kaelyn had just finished off another giant lizard, with one of its wing ripped off from its body.

"What….what in the Toril were those wyverns doing here?" Asked the air genasi after a while: "Guarding something?"

"Gods know." Safiya pulled out a stagger from her backpack and moved toward the dead lizard: "Treasure nearby, perhaps?"

"What are you doing?" Gannayev raised his head up and arched his eyebrow.

"Those scales." The Red Wizard grinned: "Damn useful, they are. Found a weapon or armour specialist once we're back and see if we can trade them for money, or turn them into something."

"Goodness, you are worrying about that in the time like this?" Gannayev rolled his eyes.

"Especially in the time like this." Safiya flashed the dreamwalker a little smile before turning her head around to remove the scales off those wyverns.

They continued on. Soon the heavy curtains of steam began to retreat and lift. What was on the bottom of the winding steps soon slowly revealed. It was something they found entirely unexpected—something they only saw the second time since entering Ashenwood.

"Wow, would you look at that!" Kaelyn smiled as they stepped down the final step from rocky volcanic path: "A heaven hidden among the snow. Make you wonder if you are still in the same Plane!"

Indeed, they found themselves standing in a small valley of eternal spring. The air was warm and moist, but not humid and sticky. There were flowers and green grass under their feet. Water streams could be heard somewhere. In the distance, there were sound of ocean washing over the beach. The gentle breeze whooshed past their faces, brought them sweet scent of cherry blossoms and lavender. Leela squinted her nose and smiled

"This is nice." She reached out her hands with palms opened, catching the falling petals of blossoms drifting in the air. Her hooded thick silver lashes fluttered with enjoyment.

"Again, it's so not the environment a ice hag would dwell in." Safiya grinned and scanned around: "Hey, would you look at that." She pointed at an old tree nearby.

It was an old tree. Not as old or as large as the Wood Man's but it was quite huge nonetheless. What was special about this tree were its leaves—nearly covered the small part of this area, they were as red as blood. They glittered and shun under the sun, given its admires shivers. Yet somehow it did not appeared to be evil.

It stirred and waved in the wind, as if someone was greeting its visitors.

"Wow, I like this tree!" The Red Wizard clapped her hands and enthused: "I would like to think that everything looks good in red... and I think that tree is no exception."

"Well, you certainly look good in red, my sweet!" Gannayev winked towards Safiya. The latter immediately blushed like a teenager, while Okku nearby threw his eyes skyward.

Intrigued by the unusualness of the Red Tree, Leela slowly stepped towards it. Its bark seemed moving somewhat, as if the whole thing was breathing. She tilted her head and scanned the tree from top to bottom, before reaching out, a bit hesitantly, to touch the rough surface. The stubbles tickled her skin. A wave of tremor rippled through the whole trunk, the tree suddenly swung a little more widely than usual.

_Cursed one…_

A voice, almost inaudible whispered in the wind. The druid's companions looked around nervously, trying to figure out its source.

_The Cursed one's here, once again…_

The voice murmured again. Then it stopped, like it was never there to start with. The air genasi and her companions walked around the tree, trying to grasp something in the air. All they heard now was again wind blowing and birds sing.

"Now that's spooky—" Gannayev frowned, was about to say something when the air behind them suddenly moved. They sprung around and saw blinding light burst through a long slit, like someone sliced a knife through. The light got brighter and the gap gradually getting wider. Finally, two spirit stepped out of it, before the whole slit sealed off again.

"Arh…." One of the spirits murmured as they spotted Leela: "The cursed one."

"We would like to have a word with you." The other one grinned.


	26. Chapter 26

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Six – The Othlor Spirits and the Mosstone**

"Me?" Leela pointed toward herself.

"Indeed, you." The spirit continued to smile. They did not seem to be hostile.

"Come closer, let us look upon you." The other one's smile deepened as she beckoned the air genasi closer.

"Who are you?" Asked the druid suspiciously.

The Red tree behind them waved and rattled as the spirits grinned and beamed serenely. The halo around them grew brighter.

"Tamlith and Imsha are our names" The telthor spirits nodded: "I am Tamlith and she—" She pointed at her partner: "is Imsha."

"In life, we were othlor - the pinnacle of our order." Imsha inclined her head: "But the higher one's rank, the higher their duty. A day came when we realized ours exceeded our own lifetimes. But our prayers were heard, and the gods permitted us to stay as telthors."

"Very dedicated" Okku commented.

"Indeed." Leela grinned politely: "So you wanted to see me—?"

"To put a face to a feeling." Replied Imsha in monotone: "Your hunger, is like a vortex amidst the flow of spirit energy. We felt its pull from a vast distance. We were curious."

"The threat of that hunger cannot be known without seeing what countenance it wears." Tamlith continued on: " We must see with our own eyes."

"Well," Slightly amused, the air geanasi took a step back and sprung: "here I am! What do you make of me?"

Gannayev next to her made a loud cat-call and was being elbowed by Safiya. He had to reduce it to a grunt and a suppressed chuckle.

Imsha drifted forward, fixed her gaze at the druid and looked straight into her eyes. Leela suddenly felt exposed and naked; as if those transparent eyes could stare right into her soul, dig out her past, present and the future. She swallowed nervously, unsure if she should tore her eyes away.

"You have positioned yourself in opposition to your hunger." Said the othlor spirit slowly, chewing her lips: "You'd rather it gnaw on your own essence before it take that of another."

Everyone, not just Leela, went very still, and stared at the telthor spirit with disbelief. How could they know? How could they know that's exactly what she had been doing since became aware the hunger within her? How could they know she had to use all her strength to refrain the monster within her from launching toward them at this very moment? How could they know how painful had that been, each time the craving come, that she wished she could just die right there and then? They only just met her, how could they know the being was devouring her from the inside and there was nothing any of the others could do about it?

"A brave course, to be sure," Imsha continued as the air genasi's deep blue eyes were gleaming with tears: "but one that ensures your time here is soon to pass."

"Brave, yes. Though I wonder, Imsha - how long will it last? How long before her courage is all that remains for her hunger to consume?" Tamlith tilted her head sideways, with her hand tucked under her chin: "A word of advice, cursed one. There are many who will have designs for a being with such destructive power. Most will hide it."

"Ask yourself—such that remains—what it is that you believe." Imsha's voice was now full of compassion: "Not the strangers you meet, not your companion, not your hunger. You. What do you hope to achieve with the time you have left?"

"I….I don't know." Leela stuttered: "All I want is…"

What did she want? She wanted so many things. She wanted everything back the way it was, before they took her from the collapsing ruins, before they attacked West Harbour and killed her dear friend, before the shard pierced into her chest and killed her mother, before the King of Shadow and Ammon Jerro's battled in her home village.

Before she met Bishop, before everything.

_What did she want?_

"Have you met any other spirit eater before?" Vaguely, the air genasi heard her companion Kaelyn ask.

"Only a handful, yet far too many." Replied Tamlith thoughtfully after a few minutes silence: "Always drawn to Rashemen, it seems…like any beast that catches the scent of fresh prey. Inevitably they follow it to Ashenwood, where the aroma is strongest. Makes them likely to pass this way, either coming or going."

"Many of them meet their fates in the Ashenwood." Imsha continued: "It is a wild place, and it has a sense of self-preservation all of its own. But they have done damage there—wounded the forest like no one else can. They have brought sickness and disturb its natural balance."

"Remember that one with the guide, Imsha?" Tamlith tugged her friend's sleeve gently and sniggered:

"How can I forget?" Imsha smiled and shook her head, as if she could not believe how foolish someone could be: "He hired that tracker to take him into the heart of the forest so he could live off the soul of the Wood Man himself."

Leela frowned, now this sounded utterly familiar: "What happened to him?"

"Well, he certainly made his mark on the Wood Man, but ultimately he got the worse end of it." Imsha sniggered.

"Not like the tracker, though." Added Tamlith.

"No, far worst for the tracker!" Imsha sighed: "You're quite right, my dear friend. The Wood Man considered it a betrayal for the tracker to lead a spirit eater to him—anyone who wanders the forest freely does so only with the Wood Man's trust."

"How did the Wood Man punish him," The druid asked: "someone who betrayed his trust?"

"He put a curse on him." Said Tamlith matter-of-factly, with certain seriousness on her face.

"What kind of curse?"

"Turned him into a burning monster." Tamlith shook her head: "Punished him for bringing a spirit eater by forever making him suffer."

"Oh, Gods!" Safiya gushed and covered her mouth with both hands: "That's…we knew that monster! Lee, that was the Shape of Fire we meet at the southern Ashenwood not very long ago!"

Leela was speechless. So this is why the Shape of Fire was insane. The constant pain and suffering drove him over the edge. To discover the reason why the tracker was punished and became Shape of Fire was somehow… slightly unsettling to her. It was unnecessary to her likings, yet the druid could, in some way, understand why the Wood Man did what he did.

"He's still there, is he?" Corners of Imsha's mouth curled further up: "He could not understand. One more day he does not come to realize his mistake and feels remorse for what he did, one more day he remains in that form. Simple enough."

"Hey," Gannayev suddenly leaned closer and whispered to the air genasi: "Ask them about that rumor, you know, rumor of the ice hag."

Leela jilted slightly from the air blue hagspawn blew onto her ears. She blushed, before jerking her attention back to the two telthors in front of her: "Arh…we were kind of wondering… you wouldn't happened to see …anything else strange…passing by, wouldn't you?"

"Besides you, you mean?" Tamlith chuckled.

"Yes, besides me." The air genasi sighed.

"Humph…"Imsha cocked her head sideway: "I suppose the bheur would qualify."

"Oh, yes indeed." Nodded Tamlith in agreement.

"Bheur?" The druid frowned.

"She's a hag, really - an ice hag." Imsha shrugged: "Wherever she walks, winter follows in her footsteps. The hathrans drive her off every year. This year they lost track of her somewhere in these part, and assumed she would fled for the mountains."

"But you are not sure she's gone?" Asked Leela.

"No." Imsha shook her head: "There are signs, signs only a bheur could leave behind wherever she dwells around."

"So she is around." Safiya arched her eyebrow in surprise: "What do we know aye?"

"What kind of sign are we talking about here?" The air genasi chewed at her lower lip thoughtfully.

"What do you think?" Tamlith winked: "She's a _ice_ hag."

"Humph…"The air genasi chuckled: "I see."

"You are looking for this bheur?" Imsha asked.

"Somewhat." The druid replied vaguely, somehow unwilling to give out too many details.

The olthors have their way to know around things, however, not to mention when they were also telthors. As if they had read her mind, Tamlith and Imsha both grinned at her meaningfully.

"Should you be interested in looking for her, and managed to find her." Imsha smirked: "We would like to ask you a small favor by eliminating her for us."

"Saving us trouble every year, don't you think?" Tamilith's eyes gleamed.

"You are not seriously thinking about killing the bheur just because they asked you to, are you?" Gannayev caught up on Leela as they bid goodbye and continued on their journey.

"No." Replied the air genasi simply: "I don't think so."

"A wise decision." Kaelyn arched her eyebrow: "Especially we need her to help us to defeat the Shape of Fire."

"Where can we find ice here at all?" Safiya looked around: "We are on the foot of a volcano, for crying out loud."

"They made it sound so easy." The blue hagspawn grimaced: "Looking for i_ice_/i…I would love to see them try!"

Leela chuckled, and continued to thread along the have worn earthen path winding among the long grass and small yellowish flowers, along the mountain foot. Her unevenly chopped hair tousled in the sea breeze, its silver strands glittered under the sun. A small smile flew toward the corner of her mouth. Grinning, she gave Fluffy, who's been on her shoulder since entering the Vale, a gentle nudge.

"Hey, buddy." The air genasi watched as the giant spider waved its pincers: "Not bad today."

"Arh…Lee?" The Red Wizard at the front suddenly stopped.

The druid arched her snowy eyebrow quizzically before rushing forward to the front of the group. The Thayan stopped at what seemed to be a very large bolder and looked mildly confused. The large stone was gnarled with vines, moss and various small plants. It appeared to be ancient, yet unnatural somewhat.

"What am I looking at here?" Asked the Red Wizard: "It's… such a strange thing."

The druid stride forward and stopped in front of the stone. She reached out her hand and gently pushed the climbing plant aside. The stone was riddled with weathered runes. Some of them were carved in with sharp objects, some were simply written with charcoals of some sort. They overlapped each other, some appeared to be older and formed in different patterns. Cautiously, she placed her hands on the rock. Waves of whispers whooshed past her ears; some were adult, some were children. Eyes widened with surprised, Leela extracted her hands back. When she repressed her hands against the rough surface again, the voices were toned.

"Arh…" Gannayev caught up with them. A small smile played through the corner of his lips: "Would you look at that!"

"Do you know that this is?" Asked Leela.

"'Course I do." The blue hagspawn admired the giant stone. He seemed ecstatic, like a small child being presented with lollies: " Can't you see? This stone is a signpost. Perhaps a marker, perhaps a fragment of dream left behind. Beneath its shadow, we may find that our dreams are sharpened like a blade - and ring more true than steel."

"So this is what it does, you dream under it?" Safiya cocked her eyebrow quizzically: "What does that different from those places we usually rest?"

"Safiya has a point." The air genasi side-glanced the dreamwalker: "You'd think something tied to dreams would be a little more…imaginative."

"Let's put it this way." Gannayev waved his hands as he explained: "Like in the river, the currents in some area are stronger than the others, yes? Same goes to dreams. In such places as these, dreams are strong - as long as one rides the current and does not fight it, we may find ourselves at our intended destination."

"_Intended_ destination?" Leela creased her brows as she scratched her head: "Now you lost me."

"The intended destination." The blue hagspawn looked at her meaningfully: "The _truth_. A greater understanding of oneself."

"Our own dream." Kaelyn concluded.

"Yes. Swimming in one's own dreams often reveals many secrets." The dreamwalker smirked.

"I think I've seen enough of my own dreams to last a lifetime." The druid shook her head.

"Have you really?" Gannayev tilted his head: "Are you sure? Even I still found places deep in my dreams that I had never been before and secrets I had never known exist. I found my own dreams just as fascinating as the others. Do you truly know everything about yourself, Leela?"

"I…"

"Regardless." Safiya stretched her arms: "We can camp here tonight. I am not sure about you guys. But fighting those damn wyverns earlier make my muscle ache so much, I don't think any spells can cure them!"

Suddenly, they all found themselves become incredibly hungry and their muscles aching like mad, so they set up their camp under the Mosstone for the night. While Safiya drew out her pewter cauldron and some hams to cook some supper for them, Leela went off and strolled around the giant rock. Her fingertips brushed against the rough texture of the stone and the dry barks of the thick vines. There were no voices this time, only the gentle rustles and stirs from the plants and moss swathed around it. The air genasi's eyes closed and her mind wandered off. What would she expect to see in her dreams, or should she put it this way, what would she expect to see in her dreams she hadn't see?

They were mostly her memories, some pleasant, some not; some were so terrible she found herself nearly screaming on the top of her voice when she woke up, and some were so content and pleasurable, she wished that was the reality and this one wasn't. There were so many of them, would the stone allow her to pick what she wanted? Or would her consciousness take over and pick one for her?

* * *

_The moonlight pressed through the casement, splashed over the floor and onto the naked bodies tangled on the four post bed. Besides the dark skinned ranger, Leela stirred and turned. Her deep blue eyes fluttered open, reflecting the starry night sky beyond the window._

"_Bishop." She murmured._

_Bishop hummed, gently raised his hand and brushed away the silver strands of hair covering her cerulean face._

"_Had a dream." She leaned her face against the roughness of his hand._

"_Pleasant?" A small smile flickered through his lips._

"_Somewhat." She snuggled closer against the warmth next to her: "Childhood dreams."_

"_About killing off certain spiders or some lizardfolks?" Bishop arched his eyebrow._

"_Hey, I happened to adore those eight legged things, you know." Leela glared at him._

"_Oh, yes. I know. Or why would we have a giant spider down at the basement, keeping our lovely Jerro company?" Mocked the dark ranger softly._

"_Then don't jest about that." The air genasi continued to glare at him half sternly: "Anyway, it's not about killing anything, or anybody for that matter."_

"_Such a shame."_

"_It's about the very first Harvest Fair I've ever attended to." Leela leaned back to Bishop's bare chest, eyes distance in the memory: "Amie, Bevil and I were all very young, about 4 or 5 I think. It was so much fun."_

"_It was the first time you tired Archery, wasn't it?" _

"_Yes, indeed." She was surprised: "You remembered!"_

"_Oh, you will be amazed how many things I could remember in my scone, beautiful." The corner of Bishop's mouth curled up: "Now come here."_

_He pulled her closer and buried his face near the base of her neck. His hands kneaded her breast while his mouth nibbled the softness behind her ears. Bishop listened in satisfaction as Leela began to moan with pleasure…_

_Suddenly there was hammering at the door, loud and heavy, desperate and panic: "Sir, Sir! The enemy army has been spotted in the fields outside the keep! Already we can see the siege towers being raised! Sorry to disturb you, Sir. But Kana has requested you to meet her in the war room!"_


	27. Chapter 27

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven – The Red Woman**

_Leela slowly drifted away from her previous dream. She could not remember what it was, but it felt somewhat pleasant and blissful. The air was cool and soft, gently brushing against her cheek. The sun shun onto her skin, nice and pleasingly warm. She turned, mumbled something totally meaningless and tried to snuggle into another more comfortable pose; half expecting Fluffy would crawl up her feet and clicking its pincers, trying to wake up its master. Or perhaps it would be Kaji, chatting to its master louder over the bubbling cauldron. Or Kaelyn, humming some unknown ballad while flapping her wings under the morning sun. Or Gannayev bantering with Okku about certain habit of theirs that the other found deeply annoying._

_Gannayev._

"_Hello, my sweet." As if reading her mind, the familiar lilting voice interrupted the silence._

_Wait, silence._

_The air genasi snapped her eyes wide open and sat up abruptly. She realized at once she was no longer in Immil Vale, or any part of Ashenwood for that matter. She was in some place that she could not recognize. Other than the familiar thick snow and the dark fringe shapes of tree branches surrounded her, glittered brilliantly under the sun, everything else felt strangely still. There were no sound of animals of any kind, no wind blowing through the trees, no water streaming under the ferns and moss. As if she have intruded upon a forest in an impossibly distant past, before any living creature walked the world... when the gods themselves were strangers to snow and sky and land._

_The druid frowned and slowly glared into her surroundings. The only thing that appeared familiar to her was the blue hagspawn, who was leaning against a tree and grinned at her. _

"_Alright, I gathered we are not in the Immil Vale, or Ashenwood." She sighed: "Where in the Nine Hells are we?"_

"_We are still in Ashenwood." Gannayev smiled: "This is what it used to look like."_

"_What are you—Oh, I get it," Leela looked around again: "we are in dreamscape."_

"_Smart girl." The corner of the blue hagspawn's mouth curled further up._

"_So this is what that giant stone is capable of…" The druid accepted the dreamwalker's reached out hand and had been pulled up: "Although I have no recollection I've been to this place in my life. How could I dream of some place that I had never been to before?"_

"_It must exist in your memory somewhere." Gannayev looked around, seeming slightly bothered: "Somewhere so deep even you can't remember…and yet…"_

"_Wait, why are you here?" Ask Leela._

"_I'm always in your dream." The blue hagspawn's eyes glittered._

"_Well, then how come I've never seen you until now?" The air genasi scratched her head._

"_Because I choose to." The dreamwalker shrugged._

"_Huh?" Now the druid looked absolutely bewildered._

"_It's one of my specialty, my sweet." Gannayev smirked: "Don't think too hard on that. I believe your conscious guided you here for a reason. It might pay you to look around a little bit." _

_The blue hagspawn strode a couple of steps away from where they stood, his eyes narrowed to slits, trying to look beyond the tree line. His long hair swung and flapped gently over his board shoulders._

"…_Something isn't right here." He chewed his lower lip thoughtfully: "I sense something unusual here. Something…that not supposed to be in the dream."_

"_What do you mean?" Leela stopped next to him and scanned around: "Isn't a dreamscape usually like this?"_

"_This quiet? Hells no." The dreamwalker shook his head: "At any rate, be on your guard. I may not be the only one who's not supposed to be in your dream." _

_Grips on their weapons tightening, the pair began traipsing though the ankle high snow. The sun drizzled the golden rays generously over them. The whole area was dead quiet, yet somehow Leela felt they were being watched. Someone was holding their breath, watching, preying, and waiting for them, like a predator tracking its prey. The tension was high. There was a heavy knot slowly sagging down in her belly, while strangely, the hunger within her stirred, seemed rejoiced with the uneasiness, as if it was welcoming the long lost friends. _

_But what was it?_

_The snowline in front of them retreated, revealing the fresh green grass and some small yellow flowers. Gannayev tilted his head, seeming unable to believe the sight, while still glanced around the area in high alert._

_They turned around one particular sharp corner, and out of their surprise, they spotted a strikingly familiar woman standing in the glade not very far ahead of them, surrounded by a group of grim looking warriors. Each of them seemed half transparent and clustered by a cloud of shadows. Their eyes glowered with hunger and something wicked._

_The woman spotted them first. A hint of fear flickered through her eyes. She glared at them first, and cast a brief glance at the warriors around her, as though she was trying to send them a telepathic message._

Beware of those people_  
_

"_Arh." One of the female spotted them and immediately glared at them with distaste: "Hsst, someone walks in our lady's garden!"_

"_Stay back!" Another warrior jerked his head around and snarled: "We found her, she's ours! She's all we have, and you cannot take her away!"_

_Leela looked absolutely bewildered: "What? What's going on here?"_

"_Leela." Gannayev leaned closer and whispered next to her ear. His breath fanned on her face: "Those people…they mean us harm. Be careful."_

_The air genasi turned her head around, and found herself looking straight into the blue hagspawn's sparkling blue eyes. They were so close to hers; she could see her own reflection in them. His lips were inches away from hers; she could smell the mixture of grass, pine and deep forest flower in it. Sensing her stare back in surprise, the dreamwalker's grin deepened. Several emotions flickered through the back of his eyes. However, before the druid could figure out what they were, he turned his head back to the red woman and the unfriendly people. _

_Another man with eagle eyes pushed forward, eyed Leela and Gannayev with intense curiosity: "Humph…a dreamwalker and…how did you get here?"_

"_Is there any other way?" The air genasi's eyebrows shot up: "I closed my eyes, I fell asleep, and I am here."_

"_What, is it true, Zarakh?" Another man in helmet opened his mouth in surprise: "Does she dream us, or do we dream her? And each other?"_

"_Here we go," The druid rolled her eye skyward: "Can any of you mind not talking in riddles and explain to me plainly what is happening here?"_

_The woman who spotted them first suddenly moved near Leela, reached out her hand and touched the druid's face lovingly. Her eyes, still shining in brilliant bright lights, looked into the air genasi's intensely. The former knight captain suddenly felt the hunger inside her turn and surge, as if it was excitedly greeting an old friend._

"_Tsk, tsk!" The woman sniggered: "She has the Gift! Lookie-look, she has the Gift!"_

_Another man rushed forward and reached out his hand, trying to touch Leela as well. This time Gannayev stepped in between them and smacked off the warrior's hand._

"_Watch where your hands are going!" He hissed: "She's not some public display, for you all to touch as you please!"_

"_Oh, my." The woman started to laugh sarcastically: "The dreamwalker is getting edgy! How interesting! Now I can't help but wonder: Why are you here, aye?"_

"_Enough!" Zarakh growled: "Mind your manners, people. She is another bearer of the gift. Nothing more. They arise, one after another, blazing bright and guttering out. No point getting too excited over it."_

"_What?" Leela looked around in surprised: "You're…"_

"_They hunger, gorge, and are gone…" Zarakh's eyes suddenly looked distant: "but we remain—we have her for an anchor."_

"_Yes, we are echoes of those who once bore the hunger - the Gift." The woman tilted her chin._

"_You were all spirit eaters!" The air genasi blurt out: "Like me!"_

"_No, not like you. Not really." Zarakh shook his head: "We worshipped the Gift and passed it amongst ourselves... each reveling in hunger for his allotted time, and then slain by his successor."_

" _Sweet Juraj, the one you've just spoken to," Zarakh pointed at the female warrior, who inclined her head politely: "was the first... gorging on the spirits of the wood, turning verdant green to withered black... until her time had passed. Then Koszik crushed her skull, and the Gift passed to him." _

_The man in helmet grunted in acknowledgment._

"_Poor Koszik hungered only briefly." Zarakh chuckled: "He tried to devour a great tree spirit, but it fell on him and cracked his spine."_

"_He was sitting there laughing when I stumbled back to my feet." Koszik shot his comrade an angry side-glare: "And you thought at least he would be kind enough to tell me that I was dead."_

"_Well, you figured that one out soon enough, did you not?" Zarakh grinned, watching Koszik grumbled grudgingly. _

"_What about you?" Leela looked at Zarakh curiously._

"_You mean do I know what this hunger was like? Oh yes." A certain ecstasy suddenly flew up on Zarakh's weathered face: "How could I not? It is the most wonderful Gift! I sought to drink more deeply than any... I cast about for a soul that was vast enough to truly quench my hunger. My eyes turned always back to the forest."_

_Something brushed her fingertips and squeezed them briefly. Leela jilted, turned her head around and noticed it was Gannayev. It was only when the air genasi realized she had been shivering uncontrollably and her face must have looked utterly terrible. She grinned and nodded slightly toward the blue hagspawn, who glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, before turning her attention back to Zarakh._

"_I called upon a guide, a warden of the wood, who knew the secret trail to the Wood Man's grove. And he guided me true." Zarakh continued to mumble in an oblivious tone: "If you have walked under the eaves of the great forest, you have touched the Wood Man's essence. Every creature that dies in his domain, every corpse that molders under rock or silent eave, is joined to him."_

"_Wait…you were the one who hired the guide?" Leela stared at the warrior: "The Shape of Fire?"_

"_Oh, you've met him, haven't you?" Zarakh arched his eyebrow: "It was an…rather unfortunate event."_

"_Is that it?" The air genasi was shocked: "He betrayed the Wood Man's trust because of you! He suffered the curse because of YOU!"_

"_Don't be naive, darl." Juraj snapped: "He was fully aware what he got himself into right from the beginning."_

"_Oh, yes." Zarakh nodded and smiled wickedly: "We paid him well. He knew."_

_The druid suddenly remembered in a battered cover book they found in the Shadow Theatre, _The Wisdom of Immith Yabog_, mentioned about these group of spirit eaters. They worshiped the dark ability, calling it the Gift, and went on a great length to be possessed by the hunger._

"_To drink of such a spirit..." Zarakh continued: "to gorge on the soul of the living forest... is to embrace the Gift as no one else. And for a time, even our hunger would be sated."_

_Leela shut her eyes tightly and found herself asking: "Then devouring the Wood Man would offer me a reprieve?"_

"_For a time, yes. Some might use such a reprieve to strengthen their wills, but most would seek vainly for a 'cure.' Many would counsel you thus." A corner of Juraj's mouth curled up: "The Witches of this land, for example, they would send you on fools errands, seeking after a 'cure' that even they do not believe you will find….tsk, tsk, nonsense. There is no cure for such ability, such a wholesome power. Who wants a cure? No, to wield one, and to master the Gift, to embrace it with our heart and soul, is what we all should do." _

"_What about that woman in Red over there?" The air genasi approached the topic carefully, sensing the woman would be the only one she was supposed to talk to: "Is she one of you? I swear I've seen her in one of my waking dreams before…" _

"_No. Whatever you saw was merely a reflection, milady." Zarakh shook his head: " There were many like her once, before the hunger took them all... many facets of a single dream, a single memory, now lost."_

"_Only _she_ remains because she was always the strongest. Her garden - our garden - grew firm and strong around her." Juraj smirked._

" _Can I talk to her?" Asked the druid._

"_No."_

"_No?" Leela frowned: "Why not? I can't see any harm. It's not like she's going to disappear at any moment or anything."_

"_I don't believe a word you just said." Koszik snapped: "You, like several others before you, are coming with one sole purpose in your mind: to take her away, to destroy this garden, to destroy us. No, we cannot bear to be cast adrift again, we will not allow it. You will not talk to her, or go anywhere near her. This is as far as you go."_

"_What? This is nonsense. Why would I want to do that?" The air genasi's eyes widened with disbelief: "I was brought here for a reason and I believe talking to her can allow me to figure out why. I promise I won't harm—"_

"_Brought here?" Koszik's eyes narrowed and cut the druid's word short: "Or should you say, blundered here?"_

"_There is no point arguing over this, Koszik." Zarakh raised his voice: "It matters very little. The hunger follows you like a jackal at your wake, and we cannot risk losing _her_ . We have all been there, we all know what it's like, and we will not allow letting it happen. You offer us no choice but to slay you. It's the only way to keep our lady safe." _

_The leader of the pack withdrew his sword. His nose flared, his eye beamed with something sinister, and his stance prepared to leap toward Leela and Gannayev. _

"_Oh, this is so much fun!" Juraj enthused as her finger crackled with sparks: "What's going to happen to your hunger once you're gone, aye? Cha-cha! Let's play!"_


	28. Chapter 28

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight – The Mask Fragment, Pieces of Whole**

_A loud bang thundered through the sky and slashed down, hitting Leela fast and hard. The air genasi was sent flying backward, sliding across the glade and landing in the nearby bushes. Her armor sizzled and had smoke pouring out of the gaps. She grunted and coughed, trying her hardest to stop her head from spinning. Nearby, Juraj's iniquitous laughter echoed through the glade._

"_Cha-cha-cha-cha, the sweet little genasi is down! Look at the smoke! Tsk, tsk! Will she come back up and play? Or should I go play with the pretty boy instead?" She sneered. _

"_Leela!" Gannayev cried out. He was pinned on the ground by Ivoi and Zarakh, unable to untangle himself. Both former Spirit Eaters waved their free weapons, trying to hit the blue hagspawn. The dreamwalker let out a frustrated yell. A surge of energy whooshed through his body. His lips moved soundlessly, and the next thing his enemy knew was there was a circle of fire covering a least half a meter radius. They leaped back and hissed in pain. _

_The hagspawn quickly got back to his feet and approached his companion in a few short strides. Juraj still hovered over the druid, snaring wickedly, her hand rose high and was about to cast another fatal spell. He swore and threw out his quarterstaff. The weapon hit the former Spirit Eater on her back and pierced her right through. Her eyes widened with shock as she collapsed on the ground. With the blink of an eye, her body turned into a cloud of black dust and evaporated into the thin air. _

"_Leela!" Gannayev cast Acid Rain spell on the remaining three, temporally distracted them a little, and knelt down next to Leela. He bended over and inspected her injuries, while his hands shimmered in glowing light, healing most visible wounds in the process. The air genasi moaned and finally managed to sit up. _

"_Y'alright?" Asked the blue hagspawn._

"_Breathing." The air genais smirked a little. She bent over to pick up her katana and tossed it in her hand slightly, before grabbing it firmly: "Let's see…one down, three more to go?"_

"_Oh, yes." The dreamwalker's deep velvet orbs glittered with certain excitement: "It's been a while that I actually had had to fight somebody in the dreamscape!"_

_Leela grinned, before calling Ice Storm upon the former Spirit Eater ghost. Ivoi growled and recited a spell in Rashemi. Very quickly a shadow cloud appeared near the edge of the glade and shifted toward them soundlessly._

"_Shadows…" The air genasi frowned and surprised: "You are a Shadowdancer."_

"_This one is smart" Ivoi sniggered: "Let's see if she's as smart when she fights!"_

_He left his right arms and several daggers flew out of his sleeve, all whooshing toward the druid's direction. Leela waved her katana and fended off most of the attacking weapons. One of them managed to zoom past the katana and cut through her upper arm. She hissed, launched forward and began her attack at the Shadowdancer. Zarakh and Koszik next to Ivoi shot a few purple magic bolts toward the air genasi. They were bounced off by Gannayev's spells._

"_Oi!" He barked: "Not a nice way to treat a lady, you three!"_

_He hovered his magic staff and cast Flame Strike on Zarakh. The poor Divine Champion burst into flames for the second time and screamed in pain. The dreamwalker spun and unleashed a dagger hidden in his sleeve and threw it toward Koszik. The small weapon synched deep into the area between his brows. The berserker swayed and fell backward, flat on his back. His body also turned into a cluster of dust and returned to the earth beneath him. _

_Ivoi's shadow companion slid across the glade and suddenly wrapped itself around Leela. The druid could see nothing but absolute darkness. She tried to swing her swords but the blades did not hit anything remotely solid. Ivoi sneered loudly somewhere near. Several sudden sharp pains indicated as he had just inflicted some injuries on her._

_The air genasi bite her lips and hissed. She noticed she could still hear sounds quite clearly. Very slowly, she turned the katana in her hand and held her breath. There were small thuds behind the loud, whoosh noises. The druid looked over her shoulders slightly, waved the katana and stabbed toward her back. A low grunt and the sound of heavy object fell indicated she hit her target. The shadow clouded her soon disappeared. She blinked her eyes and checked her surroundings; saw Gannayev was now dueling with Zarakh. There were no sign of Ivoi. She must have successfully killed him._

"_Need help?" Arms folding, Leela arched one side of her eyebrow as she watched Zarakh slowly pushed the blue hagspawn toward the corner._

"_Humph…" The dreamwalker shot a jet of snarling vines at the Divine Champion and immediately the crawling plants were all over his body, tightening him with every breath: "No thanks. I think I am alright."_

"_Okay." The air genasi smirked as Gannayev advanced his attack and pushed Zarakh backward. The remaining former Spirit Eater snarled. A dagger slid out of his sleeve and he used it to cut off the vine. _

_Gannayev pulled out his crossbow and fired at Zarakh. The Divine Champion dodged and rolled to the side. He began to wave his shield and using it as a weapon, attacked the blue hagspawn. The dreamwalker returned his crossbow to his back and drew out his quarterstaff. He leaped, avoiding Zarakh's shield while trying to push his weapon through his back. The Divine Champion blocked it off with his sword._

"_This one is good." Leela glinted her eyes toward the battling two and rubbed her chin thoughtfully: "Are you sure you don't need help, Gann?"_

"_Nope." Gannayev sprung his heels and went on another round of the attack._

_Zarakh sprung his shield over his head and attempted to bash it against Gannayev, who quickly dashed away. The two of them fought for a while, managing to block each other's attack every time. Finally, spotting an opening, unguarded weak point, the blue hagspawn spun his quarterstaff, forming an beautiful circle in the air, before his grip on the weapon tightened and stabbed it toward the former Spirit Eater. This time the blade successfully scythed into the Devine Champion's body. The last Spirit Eater ghost's eyes widened in surprise. His mouth opened and closed purposelessly as he turned into a cloud of black dust. _

_Panting like a dog, Gannayev collapsed onto the ground, unable to utter a single sound for a while. _

"_Gods," He still tried to fill his lungs with air when Leela approached him, clapping: "I don't remember the last time I fought this hard in a dreamscape!"_

"_Nicely done!" The air genasi leaned over and smiled at him: "I've never seen you fight this good since I met you!"_

"_Is that implying you underestimated me?" The dreamwalker rested his hand on his forehead and grinned back._

"_Humph-humph." Leela made a non-committal noise as she reached out and pulled Gannayev up. His hand was surprisingly large and strong, a bit different than what it looked. Her hand lingered on his grip for a brief moment before letting it go._

"_Now what do we do with her?" The blue hagspawn cocked his head toward the woman in crimson robe._

_The air genasi turned her attention toward the woman, who was now beaming with delight._

"_Thank you." She smiled: "I've been waiting for you. For a time, I feared you would not find me before…. before the hunger took me."_

"_Huh?" The druid frowned._

"_She's not a spirit." The dreamwalker observed: "She's…an echo of some sort. An echo from afar. Does she remind you of somebody?"_

"_Safiya." Leela chewed one side of her lips and side-glanced at the woman thoughtfully: "You look a lot like Safiya, but a lot older. Who are you?"_

_The woman's smile suddenly seemed fading and her eyes were brimming with tears. She lowered her gaze for a moment before opening her mouth again: "Safiya…you really think we look alike?"_

"_Yes. And it's not just because you are wearing the red robe, either." The air genasi frowned: "You two have the same eyes."_

_The woman returned her gaze at the druid: "I…I am only a memory... a memory of love, lost but not forgotten."_

"_Huh?" Leela's snowy eyebrows shot up._

"_It doesn't matter." The Red Woman stepped forward, reached out her hand and placed something in the druid's palm: "I've been wanting to give you this."_

_Leela glared at her hand. Darkened with smudges and grime, it was a piece of something that was difficult to identify. Something that was really ancient and old. The object was carved with beautiful elaborated pattern. A few worn twigs suggested it was once decorated with feathers. The air genasi turned and flipped the artifact several times before glanced back at the woman again._

"_What's this?" She asked._

"_It is a fragment of a mask." The woman explained: "It…it contained my essence."_

"_Riddles." The druid mumbled: "More riddles."_

"_It may not make any sense to you now." The Red Woman nodded slightly: "However, it will make sense when the time comes."_

_Leela's brows arched even higher toward the sky above: "Huh?"_

"_Interesting." Gannayev took over the mask fragment from the air genasi's hand: "Someone give something to you in the dreamscape. This usually means something."_

"_Yeah, I know that. But…" Her words trailed off. She looked at the woman in bewilderment: "Are you sure?"_

"_Oh, I am absolutely certain." The blue hagspawn smiled._

"_But why me?" Asked the druid._

"_That I don't know." The dreamwalker shrugged._

"_This…I saved it for you." The red woman's voice sound faded: "Please keep it hidden… in this remote and forgotten place…"_

_Leela half-nodded and watched as the woman's feature slowly disappeared. She seemed aware of what was happening to her. Her hands were in fist as she began to shout._

"_We will not see each other again." It got more and more difficult to distinguish the woman's voice: "not until you must draw on the memory of what once was. Know that I will be safe, while the mask is in your hands."_

"_The memory of what once was…what?" The air genasi began to shout as well: "How many of them are there? And what do you mean until the time come?" _

_The red woman smiled. Her lips moved, but Leela could no longer hear anything. Suddenly, she noticed the landscape surrounding her became blurry. They started to swirl and spin. The Sun above them also became hazed._

"_What's happening?" The air genasi was nervous; she jerked her head around to look for her only companion in the dreamscape._

"_Leela," The blue hagspawn's image was fading, too. He reached out his hands and grasped her shoulders firmly: "Don't worry, we are exiting the dreamscape."_

"_Now?" Leela didn't notice her voice had gone a few pitches higher._

"_Yes, my sweet." The dreamwalker smiled._

"_But…"_

"_There is nothing for us to dwell on here, is there?" Gannayev continued to smile: "Now just relax," He drew her near him as the dreamscape was now become a shade of grey: "We are going to wake up soon."_

_Fear suddenly griped the air genasi's heart: "Gannayev…"_

"_I am here." Now even the blue hagspawn's voice began to fade: "I am not going anywhere, my sweet…"_

* * *

When Leela's eyelids fluttered open, the first thing she saw was Gannayev leaning over her, head slightly tilted sideway, and looking at her worriedly. His hair draped over his shoulders, slightly touching her face. The sun drizzled generously on everything around her. She heard the birds tweeting, the bees buzzing, and the gentle warm sea breeze breathed around her ears. For the first time ever, the air genasi appreciated those sounds in the mortal world.

"Hi." The blue hagspawn grinned. An expression of relief appeared on his handsome features.

"Hi." The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Had good dream?" The dreamwalker winked.

"Oh, yes." The druid's smile deepened: "Not every day you see a hagspawn dueling with a ghost and winning."

Gannayev laughed. They both heard footsteps drawing near; the next thing they knew was Safiya's elegant porcelain face emerged behind a fern tree.

"Arh, there you are." She smiled, showing her pearly teeth: "The breakfast is ready…did you sleep under this rock last night?"

"Yep." Leela nodded and pulled herself to the sitting position: "And you will not believe what I dreamt…"

The air genasi related everything to the Red Wizard as they walked back to camp. The unusual ancient Ashenwood dreamscape, 'Spirits' of the former Spirit Eater, the intriguingly strange woman in red, the fragment of a mask, and the woman's 'We shall meet again' speech just before they exited the dreamscape. It was the most bizarre dream she had ever had in her entire life, and she remembered every detail. Safiya listened quietly without much interruption as she spoke. Only when the story was finished, she raised one finger thoughtfully and began to asked question.

"She looked like me, you said?" Queried the Thayan wizard.

"Yes, the tattoo, the robe…everything." Leela frowned, trying to describe the woman so vivid in her dream just a moment ago: "She even got the same dimple. The only thing that differentiate you and her would the a few extra wrinkles on her face."

"You do know that's not a very nice thing to say about a lady." Gannayev pointed out.

"Yeah, like she's going to pop out right in front of us at this point and time." Safiya twisted her nose playfully: "Where is this artifact you mentioned?"

"Well, she gave it to me in the dreamscape, so I am not sure if…" The air genasi reached for her waist pouch and paused. Her eyebrows arched. She extracted her hand from the pouch and opened it in front of her companions. It was the fragment of the mask.

"Is that...?" Asked the Red Wizard.

"Yes." Leela handed over to the Safiya: "According to her, there should be more than one."

"This is…old." Kaelyn leaned near the Thayan wizard as she flipped the artifact over and back for a good look: "I've never seen anything like this before. It doesn't look like something that belongs to this Plane."

"Dreamscape object." Okku grunted: "And a broken one. I wonder if it means anything."

"Well," The air genasi shrugged: "I suppose we will find out the next time I have another one in my dream, aye?"

"Humph…" Gannayev tabbed his chin: "Indeed, and meanwhile, we have a ice hag to chase."

"Must you mention that?" Safiya sighed, handed the fragment back to the druid: "Gods, I hate wild goose chase."


	29. Chapter 29

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine –The Ice Hag**

The vegetation in this area began to change. The vast greenery and vibrant color flowers were once again replaced by red dust and small dry looking grass. The air again became humidly hot and hard to breath. Steam rose from some corner of the cliff, between rocks and crumbling soil, partially fogging the surroundings. Leela cocked her head sideways, staring at a small snowfall clustered around the foot of a willow tree with certain degree of disbelieving.

"Oh, hello." She shook her head: "I can't believe it, those othlor spirits were telling the truth. The ice hag is here somewhere."

"And we are getting pretty close." Gannayev whistled.

"Looks like it started from here." Okku tilted his head slightly, indicating the nearby stream. Ice sheets floated on the water surface and came to standstill further up.

"Hey, look!" Kaelyn the Dove pointed at the frozen waterfall on the top of the hill not very far from them, half hidden among the thick steam.

"The density is higher over there." The air genasi frowned thoughtfully: "Humph…" She strode forward and began to follow the slope up.

"You know, it's actually easier than we were told." Smirked Safiya as they climbed up the hill: "I was under the impression it was a lot more complicated than that."

"Excellent notion there, Thayan wizard." The bear god mused: "I wondered why they couldn't locate her?"

They stumbled on the top of the hill and had realized they were facing a small flat plateau. Thick snow patches could be seen everywhere. The steam here was frozen solid, glittering under the mid day sun. Rusty railroad zigzagged all over the plane. Several weathered carts were scattered here and there, some were covered with icicles. On the other side of the flat surface, there was a tunnel. From most of the rails were coming out of that entrance, it was clearly one of the old abandoned mine.

"There." The druid pointed at the cave: "Nice place to hide, don't you think?"

"Ah-hah!" Gannayev raised his eyebrows and carefully leaped across the stream.

The cave looked a lot bigger when they approached closer. Like a giant monster's jaws, it greedily awaited its prey to venture straight in. Leela stopped at the entrance, glancing over the icicles at the edge of the cavern. The large blackened wooden pillars and columns were half rotten, some bent dangerously out of shape. There were some small animals remains scattered around, presumably the leftovers of the animals or…perhaps the ice hags.

"Leela," Gannayev called out to the air genasi just as she was about to enter the mine: " May we have a word, before we enter the cavern?"

Leela arched her snowy eyebrow toward the blue hagspawn quizzically.

"There are many of my kind, well, more specifically saying, my mother's kind." The dreamwalker stared into the vast darkness within the cave: "They are as numerous in hue and power as the elements, and their disposition as varied as the emotions and rages of a human mind. The one within... her spirit lies upon the cold edge of ice, I suspect. A heart of winter beats within her chest - a dangerous thing indeed."

"Typical of a ice hag, I presume?" Asked the druid.

"Indeed." Gannayev nodded: "This creature... this bheur... they thrive in cold, and they use it as a weapon. Anything that shields us against a winter's chill would help us in the battle to come, if we choose to fight."

"Huh?" The crease on Leela's forehead deepened: "'We choose to fight'?"

"As you may have noticed from my own... tendencies, we hags, even half-hags, are a talkative people. It is a form of self-flattery to go on about oneself, no matter what the subject." The blue hagspawn smirked.

"Yes, I do noticed, thank you very much." Leela chuckled.

"And from what I know of women of my kind, they tend to prattle on more than most—" Gannayev's explaining was interrupted by Safiya the Red Wizard.

"Are you saying there is someone yakking more than you do?" She sounded genuinely surprised: "Oh, gods! I must say I am very surprised indeed!"

"For the first time, Red Wizard, your words does not appear to be filled with riddle" Okku chuckled: "I agree with you. The hagspawn haven't even attempted to shut up since I met him outside the Mulsantir gate!"

"Oh, my." Gannayev places his hands on his chest: "you two are emotionally wounding me. Gods, what a curious sensation!"

The air genasi laughed. They entered the mine. The air was filled with the smells of mildew and molds. The walls were glistened with moist and dampness. The sound of water dripping echoed in the tunnel. There were also sounds of wind gushing throughout the empty mine, or something had whispered with each other? Leela could not be sure.

"Mistress!" Kaji suddenly tugged Safiya's sleeves and squeaked: "Traps ahead, mistress!"

"Humph…" The Red Wizard paused. She muttered a few chosen words. Light orb flew out of her fingers and floated a few meters above her head. The area instantly coated with glowing blue hue.

The druid glinted her eyes and checked the area ahead carefully. Dust gathered around the unknown glowing light source around the corner. Under the dim light, she could not sense anything different. But and again, spotting traps and disabling them had never been her specialty. She gave Kaji a gentle nod. The Red Wizard's familiar yelped and rushed forward almost at once. It carefully stepped onto an area next to a pile of broken crates not very far from them, slowly squaring down and inspected the pens, and then pulled out a whole thread of stings. The creature mumbled something under its nose, while sorting out which one it should drew out. In front of everyone's astonishing eyes, the traps were disarmed within seconds.

"All done, mistress!" Kaji seemed pretty impressed with himself.

"Well done, Kaji." Safiya could not hide the proud grin flowing toward the corners of her mouth.

They stepped past the disarmed traps and proceed further on. Soon the floor surface they stepped on became more slippery. As they reached the end of the mine tunnel, the whole cavern was glittering with ice.

"We are definitely getting _VERY_ close." Okku stared at a rather large icicle hanging from the ceiling in awe.

"Who's there?" Suddenly an old, ghastly female voice piped out from one of the chambers: "Show yourself!"

"I think we have what we are looking for." Leela grimaced and cocked her head toward the last room in the tunnel.

It was the most shocking humanoid creature the air genasi had ever seen. The ice hag, also known as the bheur hag, resembled an old, wrinkly aged lady. Skinny to the bone, her skin illuminated a sickening, wax-like blue hue. Her eyes, blood shot and budging outward, spun around maniacally. Hunchbacked, her body trembled like trees in the howling wind against the magic staff she was holding. Her clothes were stained and battered. Her snow-white hair was absolutely wild and untamed, roughly tied into a messy knot on the top of her head. Next to her were two Orglashes, whirling and twisting around their master, glaring at them half-threateningly and half-curiously.

"Visitors?" She shrieked. Her high-pitched voice echoed throughout the cavern. Safiya and Kaelyn simultaneously covered their ears: "And you didn't even sent a messenger to let me know? Goodness, this place is a sty! Human remains are everywhere! And look at what I am wearing! How rude! It's not an appropriated way to greet the guests!"

"We don't really mind." Replied the air genasi as she glanced around the room. The bheur wasn't lying. Old furniture, books and scrolls were thrown all over the place. Piles of human remains, mostly bones, were staking up here and there. There were no spider webs—the ice hag must have put in a bit of effort clearing them out. Compared to the rest of the room they have seen so far, this one was actually a lot tidier.

"Well, how nice of you say that. But I do mind!" The hag growled: "Haven't your parents told you not to drop by unannounced? Young people these days…."

"Let me handle this!" Gannayev whispered to the druid before stepping forward to the bheur: "We are sorry, bheur, for dropping in like this. But we are desperate, we needed your help."

"You are, are you?" The ice hag's fanatical eyes suddenly both stared at the blue hagspawn's direction: "Why, aren't you a well manner thing. And one of us, I see…. what is it you are after, I wonder?"

"We had a little bit trouble with a fire spirit." Leela tried to smile: "He mentioned he once had a battle with someone like you."

"A fire spirit, aye?" The bheur's eyes were once again zooming at all angles: "The one in the southern Ashenwood?"

"Yes. That's the one." The air genasi inclined her head.

"Moaner! That pathetic thing was a absolute moaner!" The hag began to pace about the room and waved her hand uncontrollably: "I was passing by, to avoid those witches, you see. And that noisy little thing just whined and moaned, and was basically throwing a good tantrum. It was so loud; he gave me such a headache! And when I asked him to shut up, what did he do? He attacked me!"

"Ouch!" Safiya gave her a sympathetic look.

"Ouch, indeed!" The bheur hag seemed to enjoy suddenly having such a large audience: " Had to teach such a disrespectful bugger a lesson, don't you agree? Beat the crap out of him. Heh."

"What did you attack him with?" Asked Gannayev skillfully.

"What do you think, chap?" The hag grinned, sending shivers down to everyone's spine: "I am a ice hag, ice is something I am never lack of!"

"Humph, would that be possible if you can assist us to fend off this fire spirit again?" Queried the druid tentatively.

"Would love to, should have finish that little bastard when I had a chance, if I wasn't in the hurry to run off somewhere. But there is just one little problem, my dear!" The bheur hag glinted her eyes rather playfully.

"The hathrans by the Red Tree?" Replied Kaelyn.

" A half-celestial? Why, aren't I fortunate today?" The hag laughed: "Nothing for ages, suddenly being visited by this many people at once! Yes, those old grumpy Witches still guarding the Red Tree like a pair of hawks! How can I go anywhere without them at my tail! I am trapped in this moldy, stinky place!"

"What if…." Leela chew her lips thoughtfully: "What if I could help, say, clear off those track outside? Then those hathrans would think you'd gone?"

"Heh…that could work!" The ice hag snapped her fingers: "Tsk, tsk, at last, a chance for me to leave this horrible place. Why people would find this place pleasant, I wonder? Humid, sweaty, steams everywhere! Wouldn't a nice little glacier be much more pleasant, no? Let me know when those bitches thinks I am gone, then we will discuss about my ' _assistance_."

"What are you planning to '_cover the track_'?" Asked Safiya as they stepped outside the mine and looked over the frozen plateau, half covered by the fog rising from the bottom of the cliff.

"Easy," The air genasi grinned: "But I will need your help."

"Sure thing!" The Red Wizard nodded her head: "Ready when you are!"

The druid walked near a waterfall. She stood just under the frozen ice curtains and inhaled deeply. Sparks began to crackle between her fingers. Next thing they saw a massive Fire Storms whooshing past the plane and literally lit the whole cliff on fire. When the last flame disappeared, the ice on waterfall began to melt away and the water seemed to be flowing under it once again.

"Ahah!" Enlightened expression flew across the Thayan wizard's face. She quickly strode away and stopped by one of the streams. Her lips moved and flaming balls as large as a small cart showering down from above. Within minutes, the stream was back to life.

"Hey, girls, this is not a competition." Gannayev chuckled. His hand shot out a heated beam; the snow layered at the foot of the willow tree immediately turned into a puddle of water.

"Qara would love to do this." The druid put down her hands and sighed. Her voice lowered a few decibels: "Such as shame…"

"The red haired friend of yours who took some particular enjoyment torching everything in every occasion?" The blue hagspawn half-turned his head around and smiled at her knowingly: "Oh, yeah, I totally agree!"

Leela nodded and smiled at the dreamwalker. Suddenly she wasn't minding him prying around in her dream anymore. At least there was someone who could share the memory with her. It was a warm feeling.

"Oh, you're back." Tamlith seemed surprised to see the group's return as they approached the Red Tree: "So?"

"We have news of the bheur." Leela inclined her head.

"Indeed?" Imsha appeared from behind the tree: "What of her?"

"She will no longer bother you." The air genasi took a deep breath and replied simply.

"Would she really?" Tamlith arched her eyebrow and looked at her skeptically.

"I believe she's telling the truth, Tamlith." Imsha tugged her fellow Othlors: "Look." She pointed at the river not very far from where they stood.

The Othlor spirit looked over her shoulders and saw a rather large ice sheet carried downstream in the river. On that moment, her expression changed. She beamed, and the shimmering light around her grew brighter.

"Thank you, my friend." She nodded toward the druid. Both of their transparent bodies began to fade.

"Spring will be earlier this year." Imsha seemed so overwhelmed with the good news; the telthor spirit was in tears.

"Now I feel really bad of lying to them." Kaelyn the Dove sighed as they strolled back to the abandoned mine.

"What? Or you would rather kill the hag?" Okku cast a side-glance toward the half-celestial: "What did she ever done to us? You know, by making this little white lie, we don't have to kill anybody. It is necessary and the best solution, I reckon. Nicely done, little one."

"Arh, you are back, unannounced, as usual." The bheur hag mumbled and toddled toward them as they returned to the last chambers in the abandoned mine: "Such a disgusting habit of human, heck. And I still look dreadful."

"Excellent news, Tamlith and Imsha believe you had left the Vale." Announced Leela rather excitedly.

"They do indeed?" The old hag beamed. Her lined face twisted into an uncomfortable feature, giving everybody shivers: "Ahah! Now I can leave at last. You young folks have no idea how long have I been waiting for this!"

"Well, I am glad you are happy." The air genasi felt sick in her stomach.

She began to laugh boastfully: "Cha-cha! Aren't I? Oh, well, I suppose I should keep my end of the bargain, should I? Here." Her hand reached out and pawed the druid's.

Leela felt something with slight weight sinking into her hand. She lowered her gaze and saw a small vial of clear, glowing liquid resting in the palm of her hand.

"You aren't coming with us?" The air genasi arched her eyebrow.

"Risking those damn witches finding out I am still alive and breathing? Nah!" The ice hag was already near the door: "Use that to put off the fire. That whiny thing will certainly feel it, heh. Such a shame I can't be there to see it! Bloody traitor; don't think I don't know what he'd done! He deserves the sufferings a million times over!"

Her two Orglash bodyguard quickly followed. By the time all the whirlwinds were settled, the bheur hag was gone.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N** Another whooping 10 chapters milstone! Goodness, never in my life I've written something this long! And by the look of things, it still got miles to go!

Thanks for those who's been following this story, anonymous or not. I truly appreciated it.

* * *

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty – Remorse From The Fire Spirit.**

The forest in the Burning Grove was still burning when they returned. The heated flames lurked at every tree, sending them crackling in soundless pain. The barks and leaves Leela stepped on were smoking still as they were trekking through. As they drew near, the Shape of Fire still pacing between torched woods, doing it did best—mumbling riddles and cursing every living creature in Ashenwood. It seemed completely ignorant the group's presence this time.

"Now how do we defeat the Shape of Fire?" Asked Kaelyn the Dove: "We've tired that last time. Normal cold spells didn't work out well."

The air genasi sighed and extracted the item they just received from the ice hag—the vial of orglash essences. She stared into the vial at the palm of her hand. Even through a glass bottle the essences remained as chill as ice. It was a little bit hard to grasp even with a gloved hand, imagined what it would be like when any of them touched the essences directly. She swirled the container a little, watching the clear blue liquid twirl around inside. How were they going to defeat a fire spirit with such a tiny urn?

"Gann." Still staring at the small glass bottle, the druid called out.

"Leela?" The blue hagspawn arched his eyebrow.

"I need your weapon." Leela chewed her lips thoughtfully: "the quarterstaff you are holding will do."

"What for?" Having said that, Gannayev still handed over his staff without hesitation.

"My are enchanted already." Leela uncorked the freezing cold vial: "I need something that doesn't have any essence on it…. I wonder… right, let's see." She moved the bottle over to the quarterstaff and dripped a few drops of liquid onto the blade. The essence was quickly absorbed into the metal. The small cloud of smoke surged out, and the essences coated the long blade almost immediately. Cold, icy lights beamed out of the long weapon. Frost soon covered the staff all over. Everyone around felt the chill coming out of the quaterstaff in waves almost straight away.

The air genasi twisted her wrist, spun the weapon in her hand and stabbed the nearest tree around her. The fire on the tree was out instantly. The Shape of Fire stopped pacing and murmuring almost at once, jerked its head around and stared straight at them in alarm. Its crimson eyes glared straight at them, with mixture of horror and caution.

"Arh-hah!" The druid's lips curled up: "Just as I thought."

She tossed the quarterstaff back to Ganayev. Right on cue, with a smirk on his handsome face, the dreamwalker sprung his heels, waved his new-enchanted weapon and synced the long weapon deep into darkening tree. The fire was out almost as soon as the tip of the blade touched the tree barks. Icicles emerged from the root and grew almost a meter height.

The fire spirit began to shriek: "Wait, what are you doing? What are you doing? Stop! Stop! Stop!"

The druid tossed the vial to Safiya, who caught it in the mid air and also began to do the same on her weapon. The Red Wizard picked another burning tree and began to attack at once. More fire was out. The Shape of Fire shrieked even louder. Its flaming shapes changed even more rapidly. It leaped and charged toward the group. Kaelyn flew into the air and caught the vial. She was the next one who soaked her weapon with the frosty essences. Her sword slashed onto the charcoaled tree. Icicles grew out from the blackened trunk within seconds.

"NO! How dare you!" The Shape of Fire let out a pain stricken scream: "You will suffer! YOU WILL SUFFER!"

Fire burst out from its fingertips, the cursed spirit shot several fireballs toward the group at once. The flaming cannons flew in all directions, zooming in and out of the trees and thick smokes, all aiming at different targets. Leela dived sideways, watching the fire whooshing past, turned a few meters behind her, and charging back. She darted sideway; her Ice Maiden? waving and hacked at the magic flame. The icy blade clashed with the flame. A loud bang echoed throughout the Grove. The druid slowly opened the tight shut eyes, and realized the fire was gone.

Gannayev sprung on his heels, dodging the magic fire's attack with ease, while his staff continued to stab the burning trees. The Shape of Fire growled, its both hands were now in flames. The cursed spirit waved its arms and attacked the blue hagsapwn aggressively. The dreamwalker twirled his quarterstaff so fast; all the others saw now was a large blurry disc. The fire attacks kept bouncing away from him. Okku did not need any orglash essences. He simply lashed himself at several trees at once and bashed the hell out of them, putting the fire out and destroyed the plant in the process. Safiya the Red Wizard cast a protective shield around her and watched several fire cannons smash onto the barrier. She grinned, spun her head around and threw out a couple of daggers, already treated with the frosty essences. The sharp weapons headed toward a couple of smoking trees and their flare were disappeared in minutes

"AAARRRRRRRRHHHHH!" The Shape of Fire yelled with frustration: "You will pay! You will pay! I will slay you all! I will BURN YOU ALL!"

"Love to see you try!" Leela sneered back. Her katana synced, promptly sending another gush of frost down to a burning tree. The fire was off after a faint poop.

The fire spirit roared. Fires burning on its body became bigger and redder. It tried to send sparks to the unburned trees, sending them alit. Leela murmured the Ice Storm spell and the whole Grove were covered in blizzard before the cursed spirit's sparks flew out of its fingers.

They soon realized the more fire on those burning trees they put out, the less strength their enemy had. The party spread, diminishing more fires while avoiding more fire spirit's attacks. The spirit panicked, and its attacks became more violent. Leela and her companions began to take hits. One of the air genasi's hands was burnt, Safiya's face was smudged with ash and bruises, and there was a rather nasty burnt mark from one side of Gannayev's ear to the other side of his forehead.

"It's…getting weak!" Okku the telthor bear god did a paw sweep and temporally slashed the Shape of Fire in half. It joined back up in seconds. However, its flare was no longer as bright. The fire spirit hissed and attacked again, while trying desperately to re-ignite the fire on another patch of green bushes.

The air genasi and the blue hagspawn leaped toward the cursed spirit at once; waving both of the frost enchanted weapons in their hands and attacked it viciously. Behind them, Safiya and Kaelyn continued to cast Ice Storm spells. The Shape of Fire's flames started to dwindle. At the end, after Okku's one last bash, and an awful lot of smoke and dust, the fire spirit turned into a small floating heat blob, squeaking and weeping on a pile of burnt leaves.

"End my life, end my pain." The spirit panted: "Suffer long enough. End my pain!"

"No, I cannot do that." Leela shook her head slowly. Even though she could feel the hunger has slowly crept up within her again, turning, curling and nibbling the back of her skull, she still refused to devour the cursed spirit: "I will not consume you! Even with what you've done! No one deserved such a fate."

"You…you know what I've done?" The Shape of Fire seemed slightly surprised.

"Oh, yes." The air genasi nodded: "We all know. What you did was… unforgivable. But I cannot…I still can't... I've made a pact with myself, not to devour a living soul or being on this Plane."

"I betrayed him. I betrayed him." The spirit seemed flicker a little: "Betrayed his trust. Betrayed his trust. Deserved to suffer. Deserved to suffer."

"Not like this." The druid tilted her head: "Shape of Fire…listen…I was told by the hathrans that there is only one way to leave the curse."

"Name it." Hints of hope glittered in the fire spirit's eyes: "Name it."

"Show remorse." Said Leela quietly: "You did something wrong, and you had just acknowledged that. Show remorse. Ask for forgiveness."

"Is that it?" The Shape of Fire did not seem to believe it was that simple.

"Sometimes the solution for the most complex problem is usually a simple one." The air genasi shrugged.

The fire spirit closed its crimson eyes for a moment before opened its mouth again: "I regret what… I've done. Betrayed the trust. Betrayed the trust. I am sorry. I am sorry."

A surge of light beamed out of the cursed spirit's dying body and slowly covered the area where they were standing. When the blinding light subsided, they saw an old dying man in basic leather armor lying before them. His tunic was torn and shredded at edges. His hair was grey and in knots. His face was wrinkled and aged. His eyes, no longer in maddening red, were twinkled with relief and gratefulness.

"Thank you…" Blood gushed out of his mouth, his voice was slowly fading, but the old man did not seem to mind the slightest: "Thank you… No longer suffer. No longer suffer. Leave in peace. Leave in peace…"

With a final gulp, the former scout in Ashenwood rolled his head sideway, and quietly passed on.

"I can't believe you did this…" Kaelyn was in awe as she watched the air genasi conjured a thin blanket and gently covered the dead man's body: "You could have devoured him…"

Okku and Gannayev silently took over the burial duty. They dug a shallow grave and laid the poor man to rest.

"And that's not gonna happened." Leela knelt on the ground until the whole procedure was finished before standing up. She looked around the surrounding trees, which still had smokes coming out of their stem: "I'd rather the hunger kill me first before I do anything that evil."

Safiya stepped forward, her fingertips brushed the air genasi's shoulder slightly. Almost immediately the Knight Captain felt a rush of warm energy injecting into her body. Once again the hunger inside her body was refrained. She jerked her head around, and saw the Red Wizard was grinning at her.

"Thought you need one right now." She winked: "You don't look so good after the fight."

Leela regarded her for a moment: "Thank you."

"No problem." Replied the Thayan wizard.

The air genasi turned her head back to the yew tree she was inspecting. It was not completely burnt. There was still a reasonable amount of bark on the tree that did not look like charcoals. She reached out her hand and carefully peeled off a small piece off it.

"I think this will do." She stood up: "I think we got all three ingredients we need to make an appeal."

"Now how on Toril are we going to do that?" Gannayev arched his eyebrow.

"The Gnarlthorn spoke of the Red Tree," Okku interjected thoughtfully: "The Red Tree we came across in Immil Vale."

"You reckon that's the spot?" The druid cocked one snowy eyebrow.

"Can't be hurt if we have a look." The bear god shrugged.

"Humph…" The druid folded her arms: "Suppose you are right."

They returned to Immil Vale. The Red Tree's flaming red leaves waved in the gentle breeze, as if it greeted them as they returned. Its vivid scarlet color breathed under the mid afternoon sun. Standing in its shade, Leela half closed her eyes and listened to the rustling sound of the branches brushing against each other. For a moment, she had the hallucination she was back in West Harbour.

_"The tree talked. They whispered to you in the wind." Daeghun's deep blue eyes reflected the lights drizzled through the woods as they stood in the middle of the forest. People rarely traipsed past this part of the woods. They were surrounded by the sounds of nature—animal callings, cicadas crackling, small stream running nearby, and trees brushing against each other: "You will need to know how to listen, to figure out what they are trying to tell you."_

"_How?" Leela stared at the tree in front of them in puzzle. It looked like a normal tree to her._

"_Use your senses." The half-elf looked at the air genasi patiently: "Use your heart. Use your ears. Close your eyes…"_

_The young druid closed her eyes obediently. At first she heard nothing but a bunch of noises. She frowned and coughed in frustration. Her adopted father placed his hand on her shoulder gently, urging her to calm down._

"_You won't hear a thing if your mind is rippled like water in the wind." Said the archer: "Steady your mind, gather your thought, and you will see."_

_Leela sighed, and closed her eyes once again. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to clear her thoughts as Daeghun had suggested. Soon the whole forest seemed to quiet down. She could smell the flowers in the wind. Arh, it must be those from the glade. The spring was near. The air genasi also smell a hint of burning herbs in the wind. It must be Tarmas's cauldron. Amie told her once the wizard had a secret wooden hut in the forest somewhere. This must be it! Heh, he was brewing his potions, she wondered what the potion was. The birds tweeted in the nearby oak tree. It was the sound of mockingbirds. They usually mated in springs. She heard the fish swimming upstream. She smelt the sweet maples in the wind. The corner of her lips curled up. She outstretched her hands, feeling the sensations of wing blowing through her._

"_Spring is near, Daeghun." She sighed contently._

"_Yes, indeed." She opened her eyes and saw the half-elf smiling: " Now you got it, Leela. The trees talk."_

Leela searched her waist pouch and dig out the bark, the leave, and the small bottle of pure water they retrieved from the telthor sanctuary. She laid them down on the grass in front of the tree and waited.

Nothing happened.

"Perhaps you could try putting them altogether? " Safiya suggested: "Say, put the barks and leaves in the water vial?"

"Humph, excellent notion." The air genasi nodded. She uncorked the vial and stuffed barks and leaves down the narrow neck. Now they were all in one small bottle. She stared at the now muddy water and cocked her head, waiting to see if anything magical came out of the container.

Still, nothing happened.

"Hey, guys." Gannayev smacked his forehead: "Have any of you made any offering in the past? That's not how you do it!"

"For once I agree with the hagspawn." Okku chuckled: "The offering have to be in touch with the land in order to make it work."

"Also a certain prayer." Kaelyn added.

"Don't laugh." The druid grunted as she turned around toward the tree again: "I am not a Rasheman, as you can see. Custom differences, you know."

"Don't look at me." The Red Wizard surrendered her hands up: "Red Wizard of Thay only believe in themselves!"

Leela cast them another side-glared before stepped forward and placed her hand on the tree. The strong energy instantly surged through to her in waves. She tipped and emptied the bottle, watching the water splashed onto the soils near the root. A few drops were splattered onto the air genasi's body. For a split second, she thought she heard a faint sigh whooshing past her ears. But when she tried to listen, it was gone.

"Ahem. Alright, here we go." The druid cleared her throat, readied to say her prayer: " Chauntea, Great Mother of the land, divine warden of the grows, know that the Ashenwood is stricken with powerful blight. Grant me your blessing, that I might reverse the damage it has wrought."

Then she waited.

For a while there was nothing happening. Just as Leela was about to give up, worrying what were they going to do, now she had tipped the offerings down, the gentle breeze around the Vale stopped abruptly. The air genasi felt sudden flood of warmth circling and embracing her body. For a brief instant, she felt as if the ground has been taken out from beneath her, and she was floating in a place removed from time or space as she knew them. The pangs of spirit hunger that had been nagging constantly receded, and the druid knew relief for the first time since she awoke in the barrow cavern. Wherever she was, she suffered no longer. She inhaled deeply and smiled wholeheartedly for the first time since she realised she was in this forsaken place.

At once, the world rushes back in to fill the void, and she was at the tree once more. Her hunger remained. Nothing has changed, save that in her hand; she now hold an extraordinary crystal bottle.

"Oooh," Gannayev approached and observed the vial curiously: "Shiny. It's a lot flashier than the one we offered, don't you think?"

"What does this mean?" Asked Leela.

"It means Chauntea had granted your prayer." Okku smiled.


	31. Chapter 31

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-One – The Nature's Order**

_The green ghastly fog lingered around this part of the Mere. It was so thick; Leela could not see anything past her outstretched hands. The ghostly outlines of trees whispered and sighed around them. The rotten smell filled her nose; to a degree it nearly knocked her off unconscious. The air genasi covered her nose with one hand and coughed uncomfortably. Not very far, Elanee slowed her steps, spun around and looked at the forest helplessly; her face was filled with confusion and fear. Her slightly dampened cloak hung heavily on her slender frame. _

"_I must admit…I no longer recognize this place anymore." The former member of the Circle turned her head around over her shoulder and gave the Knight Captain an apologetic smile: "I swear to you the Mere isn't usually like this. It was less…" Her words drifted off, seemed greatly disturbed by her once-familiar forest._

"_Stuffy, perhaps?" Bishop next to Leela mocked slightly, his brows tied into a deep knot: " Or haunting? Or something preying behind those curtains of greenish smoke?"_

"_Something evil," Ammon Jerro added, folding his arms: "no doubt." _

"_Shadows…" Elanee half-closed her eyes and inhaled briefly: "You can almost feel the shadows in the air…if you stay still for too long, it's like they start…clutching at you, trying to drag you down."_

_The air genasi scanned around in alarm, suddenly remembering one of the farmers back at the West Harbour complaining about his crops during the Harvest Fair, as well as Daeghen's mumbling about the same problem for the last couple of years. This must have been going on for quite some time now: "Is that what this is?"_

"_Whatever the Circle did, they must have found a way to shield themselves from it." The former Mere Druid carefully stepped forward: " If…if we can find out how they've done it… then we can reach the Vale of Merdelain, I'm certain of it."_

_Leela narrowed her eyes and tried once again to see past the overlapping tree profiles. The unnamed ill feelings hung in the air, slowly suffocating her at each breath, making her harder and harder to breath. She swayed, staggered backward and her knees nearly gave up. She felt a pair of strong arms grabbing her from behind and steady her silently. The Knight Captain half-turned her head and noticed it was Bishop, who looked at her with some concern written across his handsome face._

"_Are you alright?" He leaned forward slightly and whispered next to her ears._

_The air genasi nodded. _

_The dark ranger stared at her for a while, eyes glittering with fast emotions, before pressing his lips on the corner of her forehead and released her quickly._

"_Not exactly the most romantic place to hang out, yes?" The corner of his lips curled up: "Well, we will have to get whatever we are after quickly and leave this place."_

_Nearby, Ammon muttered about the same thing. Elanee traipsed with caution a little further, kept stopped and scanned the surroundings. Finally as they came out of an small open Glade. The former Mere Druid suddenly came to a halt._

"_Here is the gathering place." Her back was stiff and seemed on edge: " Now… wait…something's happening…"_

_In front of them, animals of all kinds crawled out of the low trees and shrubs, grunting and growling as they were thumping their heavy steps across the ground. They gathered around a sick looking willow tree. Even across the drapes of green fog, Leela could still see its stem were full of cuts and burnt marks. Large chunks of barks were peeling off its branches. There were no wind around the opening, but the tree was waving wildly, as it was shivering. The air genasi withdrew a sharp breath: what or who could have done this to a tree?"_

"_The tree is in great pain…" Next to her, Elanee whimpered slightly: "What's this? The Mere wouldn't allow it. They wouldn't allow any life form suffering this much here!" _

* * *

The old tree Gnarlthorn still laid near the stream, formed by the melted snow. Its bark moved as it struggled to grasp some air. A thin layer of greenish blighted smoke lingered around its huge body, drifting and swirling, trying to drag the once powerful and old treant into the hell with them. Sensing there was movement nearby, Gnarlthorn's eyes fluttered and opened into a slit.

"Is…Is that you, little sapling?" The treant panted. Its low voice sounded distanced and it lacked strength.

"Yes." Leela stepped forward and placed her hand on the darkened barks: "I am here, Gnarlhtorn. And I've brought something that could heal you."

"You have?" The old treant exhaled and seemed tremendously relieved: "That's…wonderful news… Well don't waste it on me, little one. Just see that the other trees in this glade are restored… Place your gift in the pond here—" it pointed at the near pond formed by several small streams: "their roots will drink from it."

The air genasi tilted her head. She could not believe what she had just heard.

"But…" She stammered: "You have the blight, too. Have you not?"

"I have, little one." The Gnarlthorn sighed: "But it is not right for me to fight it. When I was first stricken with this blight all those years ago, it happened because I cheated death."

"What?" The druid was confused: "What do you mean?"

"I survived; the draining of my life was an affront of the natural order. I suffered long for it," The treant side-glanced Leela and her companies: "but such was my penance, and it was necessary."

"No…I don't—" The air genasi shook her head: "I don't see why anyone should suffer just for something against the 'natural order'."

"Leela." Kaelyn placed her hand on the druid's shoulder:" It is good that you are sensitive to such struggles, and the reasons behind such suffering, whether natural or not."

"But it shouldn't be like this!" Leela snapped and growled in frustration: "This treant…it did nothing wrong! It clung to its life like everyone else! It's natural. Why did he say it's not?"

"I would not expect such understanding from one so young." Gnarlthorn smiled weakly: "But one day when your trunk is many ages thick and your roots have delved far into the earth, you, too, may realize how delicately our existence is balanced on the laws of nature."

"Of course I know, I am a druid!" The air genasi shook her head disbelievingly: "But—"

"Really, you mustn't feel sorrow for my passing." The treant smiled, its essence was slowly fading away: "For me, the time has come for a peaceful and long-overdue slumber. I trust you will tend the younglings and see them healed, which means I can stop clinging at last."

"Gnarlthorn…"

The old tree beamed. Its rigid body finally released all its tensions at last: "Nighty-night, and farewell, little one. The spirit of Ashenwood will never forget what you did."

Leela watched in great sadness as the ancient treant breathed out the last breath, like a gentle breeze in the forest. The green smoke dwelled on its body finally left and evaporated into the crisp air. She remained bracing her hand on the dead tree, her head hung on her shoulders.

"Leela." Gannayev stepped forward and whispered tentatively.

"We should go now," Okku tilted his head: "and see what he wishes are honored."

"…Daeghun always wondered on how I seemed to be very emotionally attached to the forest beings, much more than I should." The druid opened her mouth abruptly, almost like speaking to herself: "I used to sulk over some tiny little animal death, or some treant struck dead by lightening, or certain plant was ill, back in the Mere. To him, and most of the others, it's natural way of life. But to me, spending more time with them since I was very young, I've always felt like they are…"The air genasi jerked her head up and snapped back to the present situation: "Sorry, we…we need to do this thing quickly, before the blight will spread even wider."

She turned around and strode toward the pool not very far from them. The druid walked into the icy cold water and did not stop until it covered her ankles. She then dug her waist pouch, found the beautifully crafted vial and uncorked it.

Leela's gaze fixed upon the dribbling water as her hands tipped the bottle. The content poured into the frosty pond, sending ripples around where it dropped. For a while nothing happened. Just as they started wondering if they might have missed any sign, the ill fog hanging around between trees started to clear up. The sunlight shun through the branches again, drizzling them with golden rays. The air genasi's eyes half-shut, turned her face upward and smiled contently as she bathed in the smoothing warmth. Next to her, Gannayev glanced at her admiringly, before realizing what he was doing and tried to hide it.

"Looks like the blight is cured." The corner of Safiya's mouth curled up a little.

"Humph…"The tree around them rattled. Suddenly, Kaelyn the Dove's voice sounded alarmed: "It looks like some of the trees aren't happy about your treatment.."

"The druid jerked her head up, saw several treants pushed past the bushes, making angry snarls and waving their thick gnarl-like branches to attack the group. Gannayev shot a Fire Wall in front of him to slow down a treant emerging from the nearby hedge. He ran toward Leela, who already drew out her Drow bow 'Forever' and began to fire at several tree creatures, and cast another fire spell to blast another treant off. The dreamwalker recited another spell. A jet of fire shot out of his finger and hit a red leaf plant monster right on the stem. Okku leaped in the air, using his front paws as weapon and swipe-bashed several blighted wood creatures at once.

"Where the hells are those things coming from?" Queried the Red Wizard through the gritted teeth. She murmured the familiar syllables and summoning meteor shower dropping upon them. Fireballs showered the area like the sky was on fire, knocking off several tree beasts.

"Does that matter?" The blue hagspawn shouted back: "Get rid of them before we all turn into mashed spuds!"

The air genasi hopped onto one of the treant's branches and began to call out the Lightening Storm. Lightening bolts slashed down fast and hard, split several blighted plants in half. Kaelyn flapped her wings and tried to fly into the mid-air, but was caught halfway by one particular large treant. Holding her by the wings, the fury monster shook its branch violently and almost torn the wings off the half-celestial's body. She hissed, and shrieked, unable to hold the piercing pain that rippled through her.

"Kaelyn!" Leela yelped in horror and frustration. She was trapped on the bulky branches of the treant. If she jumped off and tried to rescue the Dove, she would be stomped to dead before she reached her. Her brain was fast ticking away, trying to figure out a way to help her friend.

Before she could think of something, another jet of Inferno roared past the druid and torched the blight monster's arms. The beast snarled and dropped the half-celestial. The air genasi jerked her head around and saw the Thayan wizard glaring at the growling monster with anger.

"Nasty buggers, absolutely rude and most of them only have the brain of small walnuts!" She panted as she blew the smoke coming out of her fingers: "Never liked them. I prefer clay."

"Thank you." Shouted Leela as her fingers dug deep into the rough barks of the blighted plant creature and the other free hand holding katana high, and readied to strike down at any moment.

"No worries!" Safiya shouted back, jerked her head around and cast another fire spell to those damn creatures.

Gannayev dived past another treant's attack and managed to approach the writhing Kaylen. His hands shimmered with glowing light. The pain inflicted upon the half-celestial's body stopped almost immediately. The former doomsguide's ragged breath slowly returned to normal under the dreamwalker's watchful eyes.

"Thank you." She nodded toward the blue hagspawn as her eyes flicked open again.

Gannayev turned his attention back to Leela before smiling at the half-celestial over his shoulder: "You look prettier with those feathery wings, my sweet."

He charged off, waving his quarterstaff and joined Okku attacking another wave of treants just springing into life.

"Why…why did they attack us?" It took them another good two hours to clear off a contingent of treants in the area. When they done, the air genasi couldn't even move a muscle. She lied on the snow ground, trying her hardest to grasp some breath. Every single one cell of her body ached like hells. The hunger within her threatened to emerge and take over.

"I don't think they were having the will of their own after being affected by the blight." Kaelyn replied, while leaning against a fallen treant. It now looked no different than the ordinary trees they saw in the forest.

"Y'alright, Lee?" Safiya turned her head and glanced at the air genasi.

"Not too bad at the moment." The druid replied: "But I wouldn't be so sure if more of these treants turn up."

"Let's hope not." Okku grunted. He was sitting in the middle of the pool, staring mindlessly at the treant in front of him. It was broken in half—his own masterpiece.

"I think that's about everything here, is it?" Gannayev managed to drag himself up and stumbled toward Leela: "Did Nadaj say we have to do anything else?"

"No." The air genasi shook her head: "That's it, but where is the Wood Man?"

"We must have missed something." Kaelyn cocked her head sideway: "I suggest we go back and check with her."

"Humph…" the druid rubbed her chin thoughtfully: "Might as well."

"Do you think Dalenka will be nicer to us this time?" Asked the blue hagspawn as they traipsing through the thick snow: "Now we have 'tidied up' the forest for her?"

"Is that important?" Safiya arched her tattooed eyebrow: "Are you so keen on being in friendly term with every female in Rashemen?"

"Why, of course!" The dreamwalker shrugged: "One less enemy, wouldn't that be nice?"

"One less angry farmer trying to slit your throat, you mean?" Okku chuckled.

"Ouch! That hurt!" Gannayev complained weakly.

* * *

The Lake of Tears Garrison was just as empty and cold as they were here last time. The guard did not even bother to nod toward them courteously as they passed the gate. They huddled around the brazier and their face remained as cold as stone. The snow fell thick and hard around them, almost blocking their visions completely. The air wasn't as crisp as when it was sunny, but still hurt like shards as they breathed. Leela had to wrap her hand around a small jar, where she kept a magically conjured flame, really tightly to actually feel any warmth.

When they hurried toward the town's square, they saw Nadaj pacing back and forth in front of a wooden hut, hands kneading, looked terribly anxious.

"There she is." Gannayev nudged the air genasi: "Goodness, she certainly doesn't look happy, does she?"

"Well, it's freezing." Corners of the druid's mouth curled up slightly: "Let's go and inform her about the task."

The young hathran's face certainly lightened up a little as soon as she saw them.

"You are back!" She exclaimed quietly: "How did it go?"

"The problems in the woods had been dealt with." The air genasi inclined her head: "You no longer need to worry."

"Arh, that's wonderful news!" Nadaj clapped her hands: "This is the first good news in some time. I am greatly relieved that you were able to do this."

"…And yet you don't look completely content." The druid tilted her head sideway.

The young witch blushed and suddenly looked very uneasy: "You…you must forgive me," She begged: "but there is one further matter in which I need your assistance."

Leela frowned. She turned around and found others had similar expression written on their faces.

"WHAT?" Okku barked: " _Another one_? I was under the impression we get to see the Wood Man after we complete what we just done?"

"No…milord!" Nadaj immediately on her knees: "I…I…this is not something I could speak freely to an outsider!"

"Outsider?" Anger flickered through the bear god's eyes: "You are calling _me_ and outsider? Who am I?"

"Okku! The telthor bear god!" The young hathran looked petrified: " I had to…make sure the others can be trusted…I had to…see if they are capable of…things… Now…I can see it wasn't coincidence that brought us together…"

"WELL!" The spirit leader arched his eyebrows: "now you can see we are all back in one piece. So what is it?"

"Let me speak plainly, my friend." Nadaj withdrew a deep breath: "My garrison has been betrayed. My berserkers were sent to their deaths in the forest!"

"Huh?" The air genasi's eyebrow shot up.

"Explain." Okku tilted his nose, indicated the young witch to continue.

"A few more attacks and this garrison will fall completely!" Nadaj bowed, her face touching the icy ground: "It's… Dalenka. She wills it! She is a durthan spy, here to weaken hathran influence on this place."

"Huh?" Said everyone in unison. Now they all looked absolutely bewildered.


	32. Chapter 32

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Two – The Mask**

Leela frowned at the young hathran in totally bewilderment. Nadaj looked genuinely distressed, shaken and terrified. Her knuckles whitened and hands kneaded together tightly. Slightly trembling, she kept flicking her eyes over her shoulders nervously and glancing at Dalenka's house, seeming afraid the door was going to open at any moment with the older witch storming out charging toward her, screeching her liar.

"Those are very serious accusations, young ethran." The druid heard Okku ask in low growling voice: "You'd better had a good reason to say so."

" 'Course I do!" Nadaj raised her head up slightly to meet the telthor bear god's stern gaze. Her voice thickened in desperation: "Or why would they sent me here? My sisters had suspected her for quite some time. It would be less obvious for me to be here, a second hathran looking over the same garrison, then one of them came up here to investigate this matter themselves."

"Then what did you find?" Safiya folded her arms, one side of her tattooed eyebrow arched further up.

"For…for a while I noticed nothing." The young witch hesitated for a moment and then stuttered: "Then…. Then—"

"_Then_—?" Asked the group in unison.

"Then I started seeing her sneak out in the dead of night, headed straight into the forest." The hathran looked sideways unable to meet the eyes of everybody: " I followed her once, and heard as she was talking to someone, someone male. It was dark and the light was dim. Their voice were low, I couldn't make out what they were saying. But it was just suspicious. Especially a week later the garrison was attacked!"

Crease on the druid's forehead deepen. No, it wasn't suspicious at all. She knew exactly who the old witch went into the woods to meet. It was Derek, the othlor's lover who had deceased long ago, now a telthor spirit dwelled within Ashenwood under the mercy of the Wood Man. Dalenka entered the forest to see him at night. The trouble must have already started and Derek merely expressed his concerns to the senior witch. Because Nadaj's assignment here, the spirit could no longer come to the small town freely.

Was that so hard to remain together, even after death? Was people's prejudice rooted so deep, that every action had to consider so carefully? Why would a simplest pleasure between two lovers be interpreted as an act of treason?

She carefully cast a couple of side-glances at her companions, they all bared the same enlighten expressions on their faces, clearly shared the same thoughts. Especially Gannayev, his brows were in tight knots and his face looked slightly painful even. The blue hagspawn's hands were fist, seemed trying his hardest not to lash out toward the young witch.

"She must have done something to the forest!" The ethran continued to babble, unaware the internal turmoil that went on within the former Knight Captain: "That's why the Wood Man was missing. It must…it must be… He cannot return. She must had done something to him!"

"You got it wrong." Leela suddenly blurted out, interrupted the young witch: "She wasn't in the forest because she was a spy."

A hint of dread and hatred flickered through Nadaj's glittering eyes. She suddenly jerked her head back and looked directly toward the air genasi. Her voice raised a few pitches higher and the pleading tone in her voice was fast disappearing, replaced by some hard, stone cold note: "Oh? Then what was she in the forest for?"

The air genasi hesitated and started to regret letting slip the othlor's secret so easily. She paused for a second before opening her mouth again: "For love."

The hathran chuckled: "Truly? An old hag went into the forest in the dead of night for _love_? Do you think I am a fool? No, you don't trust me; you don't want to help me, do you not? There is no need to talk in riddle and pretend you are all keen!"

"There is no need to insult several people at once." Gannayev crossed his arms and glared at the young witch, obviously displeased about her reference in the comment: "And for what we know, we've traipsed pretty much the entire Ashenwood to _help_ you. There is no need to get all cranky just because we don't buy your last story!"

"On edge, I see." Safiya sneered and wagged her index finger: "Never attempt to lie in front of a Red Wizard of Thay. Trying to wave a battleaxe in front of a weaponsmith master is not a good idea, ethran!"

"I suddenly suspect your idea about where the Wood Man is is just as vague as ours." Kaelyn folded her arms, tilted her head sideway and arched her eyebrows. Her wings flapped impatiently.

"Tsk-tsk." Nadaj suddenly whispered in completely different voice—one sounded like a stream of many echoes. It was full of anguish, greed and dismay: " You had no idea who you are dealing with, mortals! You are going to pay for this! ALL OF YOU!"

And with that, she was back to her original tone, letting out a blood-curdling screech and with a absolute panic on her face: "BERSERKERS! BEHOLD THE SOURCE OF THE ATTACK! THESE FOREIGNERS HAD BROUGHT BLIGHT AND FIRE TO OUR BELOVED FOREST AND NOW _WE_ HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!"

And with that, every berserker within the garrison suddenly became hostile. Weapon immediately drew out and those muscle-slab warriors began to attack them at once, while young ethran ran toward the back gate and disappeared in the thick snow and blurry trees.

Kaelyn had to caste series of delay spells to slow down their actions, before half turning her head and looking at her companions in puzzlement: "What in the Toril is going on here?"

Behind her, Safiya's hand shot out a series of Magic arrows. The purple lights zigzagged across the field and smashed right onto the unfortunate warrior. The poor fellow's eyes bulged outward, glaring at the Red Wizard and he fell backward. She turned her head around and cast a Fire Wall spell a few steps away from them, stopping two berserkers from advancing any further.

"That witch is a liar, that's what's going on!" Okku growled and waved his paws at the berserkers, sending two of them flying across the square and landing at the furthest house at the other side: "What baffled me though, was how did she managed to manipulate the entire town into believing her?"

"By acting as an innocent hathran." Safiya shrugged. Her hands glowed in red light. Fire Storm burst around her. Two Rashemen fighters were immediately engulfed by the flames. She watched the two screams with slight smirk on her face: "Rashemi never questioned hathran's motives."

"It figures." Leela spurn on her heels and stabbed another berserker with her dagger. The fighter grunted and fell down to one knee. The air genasi hit his temple with her elbow and knocked him off unconscious. Another warrior leaped and tried to ambush her from her back. The druid unsheathed her daggers from her waist belt and scythed them deep into his chest over her shoulders.

"Now the chance of finding this Wood Man is slimmer than me finding my mother." Gannayev summoned an Earth Elemental and smirked. The elemental began to wave its fists and smashed away anything that made any remote attempt against it, tossing them away effortlessly. The dreamwalker leaped and rode on the shoulder of the garrison fighter, his hand held the man's head and twisted. The berserker's neck was broken followed by a loud crack.

"Your mother?" Kaelyn dodged, avoided the berserker's shield bashing: "She's a night hag, isn't she?"

"Yes." The blue hagspawn hopped off the dead warrior while fending off one more berserk's sword with his quarterstaff: "But you do aware she's not the only one out there, my sweet."

"Point taken." The Dove drew out two swords and began fighting with two Rashemen warriors at once: "Now what do we do? That little imposer has fled. How are we going to find the Wood Man."

"Well," Leela sunk her katana deep into a berserker's chest: "Looks like those mindless zombies won't believe a word that we say—"

"—So we have no choice but to kill them all." The Red Wizard finished her friend's sentence. Another fighter nearby froze in the mid-action, promptly turned into a giant icicle. The Thayan extracted her hand and shook, while muttering something about casting an ice spell always make her hand cold as one.

"This task should not take long." Okku the Bear God inspected the battered beyond recognition warrior in front of him: "Then what next?"

"Let's see if Delanka can be reasoned with." The air genasi pushed another berserker hard against a stone pillar, crushing his rib and killing him instantly: "If so, we enter the forest to look for Nadaj."

"Still want to search for her?" Kaelyn stabbed her quarterstaff deep into one of the garrison's warrior's groin, causing him to scream in pain, before withdrawing a dagger and slicing his throat: "What else can she offer us? I seriously doubt she knew anything about the Wood Man."

"She was a cipher." Leela leaned toward her sword and panted: "A cipher of something. That something may know what we are looking for. I suspected she had something to do with what's going on in the Ashenwood."

"Nice notion, little one." The telthor bear grunted. He looked around, and finally found they were in the mist of dead berserkers. Crimson blood splattered all over the square, on the fences and on the walls, looked especially terrifying among the white snow around them. The whole outpost was dead quiet. Other than their own heavy, panting breaths, only the sound of crisp cold wind blowing through the empty town.

A loud gasp interrupted the eerie dreaded silence. Leela turned her head around and saw Dalenka rooted by the door, both hands were on her mouth and the mixture of shock and anger on her face was absolutely heartbreaking sight to see.

"Fiend!" It took her a few second to realize what just happened. The othlor roared toward the group. Her veined hands crackled, ready to fire the first spell at any moment: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"It wasn't us!" Leela cried out.

"How….. How dare you…. Cursed one! We…we let you in here… I saved you from succumbing to the beast inside you. AND THIS IS…._THIS IS HOW TO PAY US IN RETURN?_ " Betrayal and fury burst out of the old witch's eyes. Voice trembling, she began to charge toward them, firing several spells as she drew near. The air genasi dodged the attack, trying her hardest not to attack back. She did not wish to kill the old hathran, too. Killing the entire garrison was bad enough.

"Dalenka, look—!" Okku tried to intervene and almost hit by the Fire Spell she cast out as well.

"And Y_OU_! " Tears began to well up in the othlor's eyes as she barked at the telthor bear: "We respected you! You were meant to be the protector of the land, and yet you destroyed us!"

"It wasn't us!" Kaelyn blocked a few spell off with her counter spells, still trying to reason with the witch.

"Give, Us, A, Chance, To, Explain, Old woman!" Gannayev yelped in frustration. He pointed his magic staff at Dalenka and within minute the elder hathran was tied up by gnarling vines.

"Why did you spare me, then?" The othlor was still shouting on the top of her head: "KILL ME, TOO! Cursed one! Devour my spirit as well, so I can join my brave soldiers!"

"It really wasn't us, Dalenka! It was—" Leela was about to explain to the fuming witch what just happened when an calm voice interrupted them all.

"It wasn't them, my love." A transparent spirit slowly materialized in front of them: "It was the junior hathran's doing."

"What…Derek?" The air genasi frowned.

"Derek?" The elder witch deflated slightly. She seemed just as bewildered as Leela: "What are you doing here? What are you talking about?"

"The young ethran." Derek looked at his lover patiently: "She had been possessed for some time."

"Possessed?" Said everyone in unison.

"About a week before the trouble started in here. Humph…a few days after our discussion in the woods," The telthor berserker's eyes drifted toward the forest outside the outpost for a brief moment before returning to the audience in front of him again: "the young hathran went into the forest alone, attempting to seek the Wood Man herself, to solve the trouble that's been troubling Ashenwood. Something happened to her, when she returned to the garrison, something on her changed. She looked… different."

"Different?" The druid asked.

The blue hagspawn untied the old witch wordlessly. It seemed like she no longer had the desire to kill them at this point and time. The plants unwrapped themselves from the old woman's body and retreated back to the frozen ground.

"The once clear and intelligent eyes looked blurred and full of hatred." Derek recalled, his hand rested on his chin: "Several other fellow telthors saw her cast spells on blight trees, springing them to treants and ordered them to attack the outpost. She did so the following night, and every night after that. "

"Are you speaking the truth, my beloved?" Dalenka was beyond shocked. She seemed could not believe her fellow hathran could be possessed by something tainted in the forest.

All Derek did was arching an eyebrow and grining lovingly. The old othlor's gaze lingered on him for a little while before turning back to the dead bodies around her.

"Dalenka," Leela opened her mouth again tentatively: "Nadaj told us… you had betrayed the Lake of Tears garrison, after we cleared the troubles within the forest. She tried to manipulate us into killing you."

"To kill me?" The othlor asked numbly.

"Yes." Safiya chimed in: "We did not believe what she said and refused point blank to assist her scheme. Then she summoned the berserkers to attack us, accusing we were the source of all the troubles in the forest!"

"Arh… fools." Dalenka grunted: "So easy to be tricked."

"We still need to seek out the Wood Man." The air genasi looked at the old witch: "Can you tell us where he is?"

"Seek him…" The othlor's gaze finally returned to the druid: "For the curse, I presume?"

"Yes." Replied the druid.

"Then we must enter the forest." Dalenka cocked her head sideway thoughtfully: "To find…wherever Nadaj is now and confront her. I am afraid she might be the source that stopped the Wood Man return to Ashenwood."

"Do you know what she is?" Asked Okku.

"I have some vague idea, but I am not certain." Said the old witch: "We must find her, however. I believe by finding her, we should be able to figure out why the Wood Man was absent from the forest. I should have done this…I should have noticed this long time ago. Those men…they died for nothing. They died for my stubbornness and my negligence. "

"No, my love." Derek smiled: "They died protecting what they believe in, what you believe in. Now we must met this tainted being and have it dealt with before she regroups and returns."

"Yes." Dalenka smiled slightly. Their eyes met and exchanged words in silence.

"May we join you to confront Nadaj…or whatever she is now, in the forest?" Asked Leela.

"Of course, you may." Replied the othlor: "We all need answers, one way or another. Nadaj…she better have them ready when we find her!"


	33. Chapter 33

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Three – Genius Loci **

The giant tree was still there. Its thick branches curled out and spanned into the soft grayness above. Heavy, lush leaves fanned down toward them. Golden sunlight still drizzled generously around the giant of the forest. Birds hoped in and out of the thick layers of leaves, tweaking. Between its twining, bulky roots, fresh green grass carpeted and expanded over the entire glade. Buttercups, dandelions and other small wild flowers were scattered generously across the grassland. The sound of wind rustled gently through the leaves.

Leela threaded carefully out of the thick snow. Her feet touched the soft grass, her boots clogged with mud and grime. Placing hand above her eyes, she scanned around the glade cautiously. It wasn't long to locate what she was after.

"Over there." She pointed at the glowing golden figure standing by the tree.

Nadaj appeared a lot different than when they first met her in the garrison. Her hair was now in disarray. Her mask and robe was askew. Seemed in some kind of trace, the young hathran stared straight ahead, oblivious what's going on in her surroundings. Small smile rested on the corners of her mouth. Humming some unknown tune, she turned as the air genasi and her companions approached.

"Demon!" Dalenka cried out, her voice trembled, clearly in pain to watch her sister in such a state: "What have you done to Nadaj?"

"_Demon? Cha-cha, You couldn't be more wrong, hag. Such a shame my scheme eliminating you failed miserably__._" The ethran talked in echo-ish voice again: "_Tsk-tsk, Nadaj you knew is no more. She had become our vessel now._"

"Our?" The crease on Leela's forehead deepened: "You mean there is more than one of you?".

"_Yes, us_." The young witch turned and glared at her: "_We are the outrage, the fury, the vengeance. We are one. Long have we festered, desiring only to protect, yet bound and suppressed by the one who purports to speak for these woods._"

"The Wood Man?" Safiya arched her eyebrow: "But he's the protector of this land, isn't he?"

"_And where is he now?_" Nadaj waved her hand and laughed wickedly: "_HE HAS FAILED! Has faded to nothing. Now we are all that protects this place._ _We are the need, the distress, the suffering!_"

"But those people…and Dalenka…" The druid asked: "They had done nothing wrong! Why did you want to get rid of them?"

"_We were threatened. We burned, we wilted, and we yielded to parasites. The same forces that freed us—they encroached upon us!_" The hathran snorted: "_And yet here you said they did nothing wrong?_"

"Parasites?" Okku growled with displeased: "You called these loyal servants of the Ashenwood parasite?"

"_You brought disease, you brought despair, and you brought suffering.__" _Nadaj pointed her finger at them and hissed:_ "_PARASITE!_, you are._"

"Nadaj!" Dalenka seemed like couldn't bear to see her fellow hathran like this:" Don't be like this, if you are still in there, don't be like this!"

"My heart." Derek appeared next to his lover and placed his hand on her shoulder: "I'm afraid Nadaj is long gone.

"I still don't get it." Leela cocked her head sideway: "What is she, exactly, if she wasn't possessed?"

"This woman...I don't think she's just simply being possessed. She's a cipher, a shell and a garment worn by the feral instinct of the forest. Ashenwood," Gannayev's hand on the hilt of his dagger tightened: "And…I fear, she's about to shed this husk, and our blood may soon follow."

Nadaj laughed wickedly: "_We needed a vessel. An instrument. One, whose will would be fused to our own. The ethran fit perfectly. We took her, with little effort. We are the protector. We are one._"

"Nadaj…" Dalenka covered her eyes. This seemed too much to bear for her.

There was something stirred around them. The air genasi looked around and found they were surrounded by telthor spirits, all glaring and snarling at the Genius Loci angrily, prepared to lash out at any moment.

"_What? Displeased?_" The Genius Locis' eyes narrowed: "_Traitors! We protected the forest. We saved you from despair. We removed the threat. Siding with parasite? Then you shall die along with them__!_"

The blinding light on her body grew even brighter. The five smaller guardian-like trees around the glowing Ashe suddenly shook violently. Winds whirling around the glade blew harder and harder, picking up leaves and small twigs with them. Eventually the winds were just so strong none of them were able to stand straight.

The ground quivered. Several treants and elementals pushed past the thick fog and stomped into the glade. Eyes glowing red and glaring at them in fury, minions charged toward the group straight away. At the same time, Nadaj cast Contagion Spell, followed by an Earthquake Spell, on Leela and her companions. Dalenka murmured and waved her magic staff, casting a protective counter-spell over them to block off the Genius Loci's attack. Gannayev's hand shimmered with light. He summoned an air elemental into the battlefield to fight the minions. Kaelyn also called the Planetar for assistance. One of the treants shot twisting vines toward Okku, attempting to refrain him on the spot. The twisting plant attached to the spirit easily, but they did not seem to delay or stop the bear spirit much. The telthor god merely writhed his body and shrugged the vine off effortlessly.

A pack of wolf spirits engaged the fight with an earth elemental three times the size they were. Transparent body shimmered in blue light; they took turn leaping onto the tainted creature while the rest tackled it from the bottom. Group of telthor badgers, working nicely with Fluffy the spider, pinned one of the treants on the ground and sank their teeth deep within its barks. Derek threw his throwing axes at a earth elemental. Nearby, Leela leaped onto the back of a treant, clamped her legs around the thick branch, both hands waving daggers, carving away barks and chips from it. Safiya's outstretched hand was in flames. Firestorm fell and bombed around them, turning several of the minions into walking fireballs. It was followed by massive blizzard. Chilling air soaked them to the bone, made them too weak to cast a strong attack. Kaelyn sprung her quarterstaff skillfully, blocking off Nadaj's aggressive attack, while careful not to move outside the protective spell diameter the othlor had given them.

With the aid of Derek and other telthor spirits, the minions fell surprisingly easy. However, they noticed new ones just kept appearing in waves, tiring their strength and energy after a while. Kaelyn had to cast the delay spell repeatedly to allow them to have recovery time.

"This is not going to work, if they keep popping up in waves!" Gannayev shouted at the air genasi, in air elemental form, busy attacking two other ones, while he was trying his best not to be squashed by an earth elemental.

The Red Wizard was leaning against a tree, trying to catch her breath. She lifted her head up briefly, glinting her eyes and attempting to look past the whirling wind and debris around them: "Where…where are they all coming from? I've never seen this many of them in my life!"

Nadaj laughed hysterically. Her high pitch voice echoed throughout the glade. More spells flew out of her outstretched hands. The twirling winds circling around the glade blew harder. More minions emerged from the deep forest. Okku soon engaged in yet another heated battle with a few of them. Kaelyn the Dove was off-guard for one split second and was now being trashed about in the air, vines tied tightly by the ankles, with feathers from her wings flying everywhere in the howling wind. Then the tentacles finally released her, the half-celestial landed heavily on one of the small tree, knocking it off.

Suddenly they heard a loud, blood-curling scream, enveloped Nadaj's and reverberated back and forth in the field, as if the small tree felt the pain and was shrieking because of it. Every minion in the battlefield seemed panicked by the noise. Some even ran off and disappeared back into the woods. Staring at the falling tree in disbelief for a few second, Safiya's clouded face suddenly cleared up. She jerked her head up and shouted toward the others.

"_THE TREES_! IT'S THE TREES! ATTACK THE TREES!" The Wizard of Thay circled her hands around her mouth and called out as loud as she could.

She must have guessed it right, because the young witch suddenly turned her head around, her face bright red and glared at her with fury. The next thing they noticed was that the spells she cast out became even more aggressive. Several elementals and treants moved toward the trees, attempting to guard it instead of attacking their opponents. The Red Wizard aimed her fire spells at the nearest tree and began to torch it. As the stem completely engulfed in flames, more ear-piercing scream followed. One of the treants was torn into shreds by Leela in air elemental form.

Each of them quickly abandoned their opposition as much as they possibly could, picked a tree and began to cut or slash it as much as possible. Dalenka cast out more protective spells around them, preventing them from being harmed badly by her junior hathran. More minions fell followed by each tree's devastation, and the Genius Loci gradually became weaker. At the end, when there was just the badly slashed Ash Tree left standing in the glade, Nadaj couldn't even move.

"_Parasite!_" She growled as blood pouring out of her mouth: "_We fail! We will not yield! We will not beg for mercy! Kill us, kill us, KILL US!_ "

The twirling mass slowly spun and paused next to Gannayev. The density of its center slowly became higher and gradually formed a human shape. Finally, Leela returned to her humanoid form and stood in front of the seething abomination. She managed to steady herself, tilting her head and stared at the young witch in silence for a long time, before finally opening her mouth tiredly.

"No, I will not kill you, hathran." Said the air genasi exhaustedly.: "You will face the Wood Man once we find him and he shall decide what to do with you."

She turned, and was about to inspect the Glowing Ashe Tree before hearing a loud yelp over her shoulder.

"_No! You will not find the Wood Man. We will not succumb and give ourselves to that old soft piece of arse! We would rather die!_" Nadaj's haunting voice snarled as she summoned the last bit of strength and came to her feet. Her arms outstretched, her fingers spun wide and was ready to fire a spell to the druid. Before any of them could react, something slipped out of Leela's shadow and slithered toward the Genius Loci. It changed shapes and expanded into some dark matter with multi-tentacles. The tainted witch stopped her attack, her eyes immediately widened with fear. She started swarming backward. Her whole body began to tremble.

"Leela!" The blue hagspawn reached out and grabbed her arms. To his horror, he noticed the air genasi was no longer conscious. Her eyes rolled up and her body was limp.

"Shit!" Safiya swore: "The curse seized the chance, overtook her while her body was drained and could no longer held it behind!"

The dark shadow kept gathering and gradually hovered over the Nadaj. The young hathran shrieked, looked beyond herself and absolutely terrified.

"Do something!" Kaelyn looked around helplessly. Her opaque eyes stopped at Dalenka, who shook her head and gave her a shrug.

"I do not think, in my power, I can refrain it within the genasi anymore." The olthor sighed, with tears brimming in her eyes: "The hunger had been suppressed for so long, now without the host's suppression, it will be drawn whichever has the strongest spirit power… Oh, Nadaj…."

The dark shadow continued to advance on the hathran. Its shape now expanded to a degree, it resembled something like a beholder. Its whisper could now be heard by everyone in the glade.

_HUNGRY…_

_SO HUNGRY…_

Crimson red smoke poured out from the center of the hunger. It taunted in hair-prickling voice as its tentacles reached Nadaj's robe. The young girl screamed even louder. Lights trickled out of her eyes, mouth and fingers; as if the spirits inside her were attempting to flee but realized they were trapped within the vessel.

_FEED…_

_MUST FEED…_

The gash at the center of the shadow grew larger. It was now laughing wickedly and slowly crawled up the poor hathran's leg. The young witch, now too frightened to scream, was hiccuping as she watched in horror as her legs disappeared in shadow.

_ARH…_

The dark shadow snickered evilly. The red smoke poured out more and fast, slowly covered Nadaj's rigid body.

_HUNGRY…MUST FEED…_

The hathran's gulping sound could still be heard through the thickness of red and black smokes. The golden glow shimmered around her body was almost gone now. Her widened, blood-shot eyes could still be seen behind all the darkness.

_NOW…_

The hunger leaped forward abruptly, engulfed the Genius Loci in one go, making a stomach turning 'BLOB' sound. Almost as soon as it was done, the shadow quickly retreated back to Leela's body. The area became clear and the wind whooshed past their ears once again. Other than the hundreds of Spirit Essences left by the minions they fought earlier, it was as if nothing had ever happened here at all.

For a while, no one talked. Kaelyn covered her mouth with both hands to stop herself from crying out loud. Her eyes were filled with tears. Safiya's face was just as grim as hers. Her tattooed eyebrows were in knot beyond the point of telling which one is which. Okku stared at the spot where Nadaj was a few minutes ago blankly and seemed to be in the deep thought. Dalenka buried her face into her wrinkled hands and did not move for a very long time, while Derek bowed his head with a hand across his chest, as if paying his respect on the young hathran—the one before Genius Loci took over.

Gannayev gave the empty spot one last look, before turning his attention back to the air genasi. The blue Hagspawn reached out his hand tentatively, gently touching her ebony shoulder and gave it a slight push: "Leela?"

The druid's body stirred and let out a sigh. Leela turned and her eyes fluttered.

"What happened?" She moaned.

"You were exhausted." Answered the dreamwalker: "So you decided to enter the dreamscape without me."

"What?" The air genasi gasped as she dragged herself to sitting position: "Wait…where is Nadaj?"

"You ate her." Replied the Red Wizard simply.

"WHAT?" Leela's face turned white: "Come again?"

"It wasn't your fault, little one." Okku sighed: "We've done nothing but traipsing through the snow and fighting over the last couple of days. You, or the spells of any kind, could not keep the curse within you any longer."

"I…I ate her?" The druid stuttered.

They all nodded silently.

Leela's shoulder slackened, as if all her energy was drained from her. All the effort since she discovered the curse cast upon her had been completely wasted. She cursed inwardly a thousand times. If only she was more vigilant. If only she could be stronger…

She bit her lower lip. She had promised herself not to devour a single soul, spirit or not. And now she had broken that promise. _How would she stop herself from lashing at the others in the future, should the circumstances occurred again?_

"Lee, don't be too harsh on yourself." As if reading her mind, Safiya looked at her worriedly: "There was nothing you could do. The hunger inside had been always waiting for the chance to lash out, there's no way you can see that coming, and your condition a few minutes ago…"

"Safiya is correct, Leela" Kaelyn nodded in agreement: "Now the only thing we can do is find out how to remove the curse, fast."

"How?" Leela arched her eyebrow slightly. Half of her still submerged in her own thought: "We did all of Nadaj's quests…and yet the Wood Men still…"

"The Wood Men is closer than you think." Dalenka chimed in. They turned their head around and saw the old witch was smiling tearfully. She cocked her head sideways, indicated them to look at the glowing Ashe Tree.

They jerked their heads back, and saw the giant tree now glowing even brighter, despite the injuries they had just inflicted upon it. A ray of light separated from the tree and landed on the grass patch in front of them. It began to circle and twirl, forming a tube above the grass. When the sparkles finally faded, a large treant like spirit stood before them. Towering above them, the vast spirit in the form of a tree, much like Gnarlthorn in shape. Only the eyes were different—they were huge and lustrous and brown, shinning with savage awareness.

"Never in my days I dreamed of seeing it, but it is him." Okku gushed.

"Who?" Asked the air genasi absent-mindedly.

"_The Wood Man._" Replied the telthor bear god. His voice was filled with respect and worship.


	34. Chapter 34

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Four – The Great Tree Spirit**

The sky became clear. A sudden wind, fresh and crisp and filled with the mixture of pine and daisy, blew through the trees in the forest and gently rattled their branches, like the first breath of the reawakening god. The telthor spirits began to stir. They inclined their head and bowed before the Wood Man, each of them showing certain reverent on their face. The mouth of the tree spirit opened soundlessly, but a silence was suddenly lifted. Leela could hear the birds tweaking once again. She half closed her eyes and stretched her hands a little, enjoyed the sensation of the tender breeze brushing past her fingertips as it wrapped around her body.

"_Arh…you…it's you…again_." A low, calm and gentle rumble echoed through the Tree Spirit's branches, as if it was stretching and trying to speak at the same time.

"You are…" The air genasi opened her eyes and looked at the Wood Mand curiously: "You are the Wood Man."

"_Yes, I am_ ALL t_hat creeps or walks, lives or grows, sickens or rots or dies_" The tree spirit paused for a moment. His eyes grew wide, and he seemed to falter… to betray a sudden weakness of pain.

"You are not well, Wood Man." The druid frowned in concern.

"_Why, thank you for your concern._" The Wood Man smirked mildly: "_Now, as for you, will you always be here when I wake, devourer of souls? Gorge on my life a hundred times. And you will never be sated, nor will I ever die, while the forest persists. _"

"Huh?" Leela was bewildered: "I don't believe we had ever met?"

"_The face changes… the hunger remains the same._" The tree spirit rattled his branches: " _Why are you here, devourer of souls? Why did you slew the parasite and call me forth, if now to feast once again?_"

"I am not hungry." The air genasi smiled grimly: "Not anymore."

"_Arh…so you choose to devour the parasite instead_" The Wood Man tilted it's head: _How curious…_"

"I did not _choose_ to eat them." The druid replied, a little frustrated. She blinked her eyes, trying to hold back the welling tears that were threatening to overflow and trickle down her cheek: "the hunger within me choose to strike at the moment when my strength was too weak to refrain it."

"Wood Man, if I may speak." Kaelyn bowed her head toward the spirit tree: "What was this…Genius Loci, this … '_parasite_ you referred to?"

"_A doomsguide? On the mortal plane?_" The Wood Man's eyes was glittering in surprise: "_Humph…here I thought I've seen it all. To return to your question, doomsguide, it's anger, hatred, the forest's fury…made flesh and wood and will…your hunger dispersed my soul, Spirit Eater, and that fury arose in my place …It seeped into the souls of the small ones, the gentle ones, and slew them… called to the fouler ones and drew them hence._"

"Why Nadaj, milord.?" Asked Dalanka: "Why a young hathran?"

"_She happened to be there when they needed a vessel. Yes, it was that simple_." The tree spirit sighed: "_Through her mind and her voice, the parasite schemed and avenged_."

"The parasite..." Leela chew her lips: "was it preventing your return?"

"_Yes. While I was dispersed, the anger grew too strong_." The Wood Man's branches rattled, the twirling winds once again circled around the glade: " _The hatred… the parasite… had to be torn from the forest's heart before I could emerge again_."

The air genasi folded her arms: "What are you saying, you were too weak to fight the Genius Loci on your own?"

Several surprised gasps rose behind her, indicating her query was valiant and offensive. The druid squared her shoulder and tilted her chin a little, prepared to receive some aggressive roars from the tree spirit. But the Wood Man simply remained silent, its lustrous brown eyes flat and unmoving.

It had dawn to her that perhaps…perhaps the great spirit was confused… that somehow, she was not what he expected.

"_Yes_," The Wood Man finally opened its mouth and admitted: " _I was…and am…too weak._"

"The Witches," The druid swallowed and prepared her next question: "They sent me to find you…to seek cure for my hunger."

The Great Spirit shook its head, his leaves and branches stirred and rattled: "_…you still do not understand, child. Neither did those other faces, which hid the same hunger that you bear. They called it a gift; you think it's a curse. As the matter of fact, it's neither_."

"Not a gift nor a curse…" Leela was bewildered: "How can that be? What is it then?"

"_It's your_ nature. _Hunger is what you are._" The tree spirit replied: "_You are not always thus… But how your nature changed is not known to me._"

"_Nature_?" The crease on the air genasi's forehead deepened even further, and her eyebrows nearly arched to the sky above them. Her voice rose and she sounded slightly frustrated: "Now you lost me. Must everyone in Rasheman talk in riddles? I swear I did not have this thing in me when I was in the Sword Coast. It cannot be my _Nature_."

The Wood Man seemed oblivious to the druid's ranting. His eyes continued to study her thoughtfully for a while before continuing on: "_Yet…I sense a wrathful touch upon your soul…_"

"Huh?" Leela's eyes widened and stared at the tree spirit: "What?"

"_A touch…_" Said the great spirit slowly: "_A touch of a god. A god who's dead._"

"You believe that a dead god somehow changed my nature..." The air genasi slowly shook her head disbelievingly: " and cursed me with this hunger? That seems unlikely."

"And a dead god nearly killed you when you tried to escape his barrow, I am just saying." Okku chuckled beside her: "Not all that is dead lays still, little one."

"Very charming." The druid grunted: "Forgive me, Okku. But waking up in a eerie cavern with no living being but a skeleton next to you, greeted by a group of teething spirits, hungry…not physically but spiritually, almost all the time, and traveling nearly half of a world to here, believed someone, or something finally can do something about this… whatever that is inside me, and only to be told it is my bloody nature. Believe me, this is not exactly music to my ears."

"_A dead boar may fall into a stream, putrefy, and corrupt the waters._" The tree spirit's voice remained tranquil and undeterred as he watched Leela glare at Gannayev, who was now in stitches, trying his hardest not to laugh out loud: "_A dead tree may topple and rot, providing life for a million swarming ants. Who says dead means stop? Who says dead means they no longer effective to the mortals?_"

"Oh, alright then." The air genasi finally sighed: "So a dead god somehow changed my nature. But which god, and why?"

"_Humph…_" The Wood Man meditated: "_An unfamiliar god, I must say… A stranger to the forest. Chauntea, Mielikki, Lurue…these are the gods I know in their youth, and their wrath is different in kind._"

"So you don't know." Disappointment was written all over the druid's cerulean face: "… I… We were told you fought other spirit-eater before. You… you must have known…known something…"

The remained energy Leela had held since waking up in the Barrow seemed completely drained away from her body. She swayed and her knees nearly buckled. Tears brimmed at the edge of her long lashes. Suddenly, bearing the constant cravings, tramping through the field of thick snow, parleying with hag, spirits, giants, and slashing her swords through creature she had not imagined she would encounter a mere few months ago, no longer seemed to mean anything to her. The life she once had… the Sword Coast… felt like drifting further away from her.

_Was she stuck here forever?_ _Alone? _Thought the air genasi.

She felt someone move closer quietly and stop behind her. The druid turned her head around, and saw Gannayev's glittering blue eyes over her shoulder. The corner of his mouth curled up as usual. Before she had a chance to say anything, she felt her shoulder sunk and being squeezed slightly. She turned her gaze and saw Safiya's small ebony hand on her shoulder. The Red Wizard of Thay's smile deepened as her eyes meet Leela's. Over the Thayan's shoulders, the air genasi noticed Kaelyn's clear-as-mirror eyes looking at her. They were filled with empathy and comfort.

A surge of warmth rippled through her body. Suddenly she no longer felt as exhausted and frustrated as she thought she was.

"_Your hunger…has but one face at a time_." The Wood Man closed its eyes and thought for a moment: "_The face…they may change, but there is only_ one."

"That's how I remembered it as well." Okku grunted as he pawed the soil beneath him absent mindedly: "But I only met two Spirit Eater in throughout my life—as a mortal and as a telthor bear god. Cannot pass any comment with just two, you see."

"_The hunger never changes, no matter how many you've seen_." The tree spirit nodded: "_Their faces always perish. The more they eat, they more they _must _eat. Then the hunger devours them… burns them from the inside, and pass to a new face. The face stands before me now…_" It paused for a second: "_I am afraid, will also be consumed._"

"How…" Leela finally found her voice again: "So how can I defeat this hunger?"

"_You cannot defeat your nature._" The great spirit sighed: "_You must_ be _what you are…and in being, you must finally succumb. To change your nature… to return to what you once were…such changes are…almost impossible. Burn a forest to ash, and you can only plant anew._"

"We…we traveled all the way there." The air genais looked at the tree spirit, struggling to conjure her thoughts: "Surely you have to offer us some word of advice other than this."

The tree spirit fell silent again, its stag eyes gleaming, lustrous and brown, into the druid's. For a while, that was all it did. Leela stood patiently in the golden sunlight. Birds and other animals made noise around them. Gentle cool breeze whooshed past their body.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the low, almost whisper-like sound of the Wood Man, echoed through the branches again: "_To control the beast, you must defy its nature, force it to act against its will. Since you cannot change its nature, it is almost impossible to achieve such a thing. However, you can teach it to obey._"

The air genasi tilted her head and looked at the old tree for some time, before opening her mouth: "…Show me how it works."

"_Channel your spirit into the forest—into me_" The tree spirit waved its twigs: "_By doing so, perhaps…you might discover a way to restore, as well as devour_."

"Arh, the reverse effect." Safiya's hand flew to her mouth: "Yes, it could work. The hunger could drain one's spirit, it might be able to restore them…"

The druid sat down cross-legged on the soft grass, allowing the scene of buttercups and daisy fill her nostrils. She closed her eyes, gathered her spirit energy and directed it into the Wood Man.

She cleared her thought, and almost immediately, the dark presence within her began to stir.

_Arh…_

_Hungry…_

"You can't be." Murmured Leela inwardly: "You just was fed, a Genius Loci. Don't tell me that's gone already."

_Must feed…_

_Must feed on this one…_

The air genasi realized almost straight away the hunger desired the Wood Man's vast and defenseless soul. The hunger stretched out slowly. The black shadow crawled on the ground inch by inch. Nearby, Dalenka yelped, struggled not to leap forward and stop the presence from moving forward. Her body trembled. If was only Derek holding her from behind, or the old witch's body would probably be collapsed.

_Now…_

_Must feed now…_

The shadow reached the tree spirit's roots, readied to climb up the week spirit's body. Okku gritted his teeth, his huge body was rigid and his eyes darted between the Wood Man and Leela nervously. Safiya's hand tightened into fist, her hands crackled with sparks, and her body was shaking uncontrollably. Kaelyn's snowy white eyebrows were in knots. The Dove's back was as stiff as those trees around them, and her wing fluttered restlessly. Gannayev folded his arms and shifted his bodyweight from one leg to another. Other than an arching eyebrow, the blue hagspawn did not show any sign of anxiousness.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Leela murmured. Her eyes snapped open, her hands outstretched, her fingers clawed in, her blue body was shimmering with silvery light and her white hair was flying around wildly. The air genasi gathered her inner strength, using all her might to pull the darkness inside her back. Winds around the glade blew wildly, reflecting certain struggle within her body. The hunger writhed hard and fought to escape from her grasp.

The dark presence roared. Its shadow leashed back to the druid angrily, trying to feast on her spirit energy instead. The blinding light glittering around her body grew even brighter and suddenly burst outward. It soon surrounded the hunger and trapped it inside. The hunger seethed and hissed at the air genasi.

"I am the Knight Captain here and I am the rightful owner of my body." Leela growled: "You will be doing as I command from now on!"

The silvery lights around the hunger tightened. The dark presence screeched. The light reached out, now slowly moving toward the Wood Man, who observed the movement passively and remained emotionless. Behind her, the corner of Gannayev's lips curled up. He cast to Safiya nearby, who was now relaxing a bit, a side-glance and gave her a slight nod.

"You knew she wouldn't succumb this time?" Kaelyn looked at the dreamwalker curiously.

"I trusted she wouldn't succumb this time." Was the blue hagspawn's answer.

The glowing light quickly covered the tree spirit. The great tree sighed in totally relief, as if its pains and aches were erased completely for the first time in years.

"_Arh…what was lost…is restored_." The Wood Man grinned toward the druid, now slowly opening her eyes and looked at the great spirit with concern: "_The forest breathes , and its anger fades to silence, thank you, devourer of souls._"

Leela stumbled back to her feet and bowed her head toward the great spirit: "My predecessor's debt is paid, Wood Man. May your forest have peace."

"_You know, you are different from those faces before you_." The Wood Man smiled and inclined its head: "_Goodbye to you all_" Its huge trunk figure began to fade. Soon, only golden sparks remained. The Ashe Tree glade was a sun trenched opening once again.


	35. Chapter 35

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Five – Aurora Twilight**

_Sunset._

_The crimson light soaked everything in red and splashing sky above with the most vibrant color anyone had ever seen. Waves of early evening breeze blew past the treetops and whirled wildly around everything that stood. The tree branches rustled and shook, sending pleasant rhythmic sounds around, soothing the listeners' nerves. Flocks of birds moved across the sky and rushed home. On the ground, crickets started chanting._

_Tomorrow would be a good day. _

_In the ascending darkness, Leela found Shandra in her farm, not very far from her burned down barn. The former farm girl stood in the middle of harvested field, in front of a lone scarecrow. Her soft honey colored hair was slightly tousled in the wind. Her fine porcelain features showed certain blankness, suggesting she was in some distant memory. _

"_Funny how nature turn out." Sensing the air genasi was near, the fighter pointed at the small area not very far from the scarecrow: "Look."_

_The druid followed her indication and saw a small patch of crops growing in the area. Without anyone tending to them, it was rather surprising they turned out pretty well._

"_I must have dropped a couple of them last time I harvested the grains." Shandra sighed in certain degree of contentment: "Now look at them."_

"_Things often turns out to be completely unexpected," Leela grinned: "Daeghun often told me that."_

"_Did he?" The fighter turned her head around: "You know... I really would like to meet him some day."_

_The air genasi thought of her half-elf foster father's eyes for a moment, before the corner of her mouth arched up: "You know…I think he would like that."_

_The former farmer girl smiled back, before turning her attention back to the scarecrow again._

"_We are going to Haven tomorrow, are we?" She asked in feign casual tone._

"_Yes." _

"_Never in a million years I would imagine I am going to the very place I thought only exist in the bed time story mother told me." Shandra shook her head, slightly disbelievingly: "After joining you guys, I suddenly realized there are just so many things that I don't know about. Githyanki, Demons, the King of Shadows, and not to mention my own grandfather!" She suddenly pointed at a small wooden pendant on the scarecrow's neck: "And this, do you know that this is?"_

_The Knight Captain shook her head. The ornament, roughly carved and stained with time, looked just like other jewelry she had seen. It did have various runes written all over it, however, which Leela did not recognised._

"_My mother gave this to me during my first year of looking after the farm on my own." The warrior sighed: "Don't be fooled by its ruggedly appearance, this thing have strange ability to expel birds to come to eat the grains and it had never failed me so far. Now come to think of it, this pendant is probably from my grandfather."_

_She wrenched the necklace off the scarecrow and stared at the ornament for a few minute before opening her mouth again: "Life is intriguing, isn't it?"_

* * *

Twilight.

The final hint of daylight slowly faded. Only the ribbon-like aurora lingered, producing eye-catching phenomenon in the velvet sky above. Billions of stars blinked behind the hedge of darkening tree line. The snowfall had just stopped earlier. The clear air was crisp and cold, but somehow bearable. It was quiet. Other than the sound of trees brushing against each other, the only sound was the small animal occasionally moving between the bushes not very far away.

Leela leaned against the rails of one of the now vacant watchtowers, overlooking the Lake of Tears. From there, she could see the lamp on the enchanted boat they came, drifting in and out of the fog hung just above the water. The warm breath she breathed out twirled and whirled around her. Allowing her feet to dangle over the edge, the air genasi took out the small rough wooden pendant that had been tug under her armour. It was the wooden locket Shandra had given her on that evening. The piece of jewelry was the only thing she owned from her past when she woke up in the Barrow. Somehow they forgot to remove it when they cut her open and took away the shard. Starring at the old woodcarvings brought back waves of memories. It also made her feel so surreal. Was that only a few months ago when that farmer girl gave her this? Gods, it felt like a lifetime away.

"Funny how things work." She murmured, tossing the necklace in her hand.

"Depends on what kind of things." The familiar lilting voice disrupted the silence somewhere behind her. The druid did not even need to turn her head around to see who it was: "You certainly take particular enjoyment hiding somewhere high, my sweet."

"How was the feast?" She asked, staring idly at a telthor deer sniffling around the snow below. The familiar sensation twanged inside her again. Gods, has the spirit of Nadaj gone down already?

"You call that a feast?" Gannayev swung his leg over the rail and sat next to her: "That's a standard meal to some Rasheman families. I've seen some better ones."

"Watch it. Delanka tried her best." Said Leela through her arched eyebrows: "Don't be ungrateful. It's probably the best feeding we had in days."

"I am not complaining, nor being ungrateful." The blue hagspawn smirked: "But you can hardly call a meal eating in silence a feast."

"What?" The air genasi chuckled: "Didn't Safiya let Kaji out?"

"She did." The dreamwalker rested his chin on one of his knee: "but even he didn't talk. He was too busy munching the roasted boar. Arh…" He grimaced

"You don't like it, I take it?" Leela giggled.

"Not one bit." Gannayev shook his head half sternly: "And I am not just talking about the amount of small food bits flying at one meter radius around the familiar, either. Although now come to think of it, it was indeed quite disgusting. However, considering I might meet this poor spirit he's eating afterward, burning through my beautiful hide with his evil glare. Like it? No, I don't think so."

The air genasi laughed, finally turning her head around to face the dreamwalker. He was beautiful. Under the deep blue sky, his dark sapphire eyes glittered, reflecting the brilliant star-studded atmosphere above. The moonlight illuminated a faint glow on his handsome feature. His long hair literally shimmered beneath the stars. Noticing the druid was looking at him, the blue hagspawn did not shy away. Instead the corner of his lips curled up. He tilted his head; his eyebrow arched, and stared back at her. The druid felt herself go pink. Very slowly and discretely, she looked away.

"So what are you doing here, my sweet?" Gannayev's glare remained fixed on her.

"I am full."

"You barely touched your first plate, beautiful." The blue hagspawn laughed quietly: "And you don't look like you are on diet, either."

"…How do you know I am not on the diet?" Leela began to flip the wooden pendant between her fingers absent-mindedly.

"Haven't I just said you are not the kind?" The dreamwalker showed the former Knight Captain a tooth-bearing grin: "Arh…some love token from your past, I take it? Is that why you are here? Trying to remember the good old days?"

The air genasi felt heat suddenly rush toward her face by tenfold"…No. It's…I am not here because of that! I…I'm…"

"Not from the old lover of yours? Are you certain?" Gannayev rubbed his chin thoughtfully: "Humph…the ruggedly dark ranger…what was his name, _Bishop_, gave you this?"

"…Just when I am starting to think you are alright." The druid gaped at the blue hagspawn in surprise before giving out a big sigh: "Haven't I told you not to wander about in my dreams freely? There are some dreams I would prefer to keep just for myself."

"So it was from him then?" The dreamwalker nudged her. His eyes were glittered with some degree of playfulness.

"No." Leela shook her head and glared at him disbelievingly: "Bishop…he gave me that Drow bow. But somehow I think you knew that already."

"So who gave you this? The Paladin?"

"Casavir?" The air genasi's silvery brow arched up: "Gods…why do you want to know? Casavir and I…we weren't even closed…No. He's not the jewelry person. This…this one is from Shandra."

"The farm girl?" Gannayev seemed surprised: "She gave you this?"

"Yeah." The druid handed the pendant over to the hagspawn for a better look: "She had this in her family for years. It is probably past down from Ammon Jerro. According to her, it worked like a charm on—."

"—expelling birds." The dreamwalker finished her sentences in mumbles. Under Leela's half surprised eyes, he pointed at the runes on the wooden carvings: "These…these are Rashemi writings."

"What?" The air genasi's jaw nearly dropped: "How to you know that?"

"I've been living here all my life, haven't you heard?" Gannayev smirked before he moved a little closer to show the druid the details. Suddenly he was inches away from her. She could feel the warm breath tickling her face: "See these strokes here? And the bird like symbol here?…. These are spells."

"I see."

"People in Rashemen commonly use them in their fields," The dreamwalker turned the ornament over, to check the other side: "praying for the spirit's assistance to keep the bird or other animals away from their crops before the harvest."

"Oh." Feeling herself going red tomato again, Leela stuttered, unable to come up anything else to say.

"Shandra…she's the granddaughter of Ammon Jerro? " The dreamwalker frowned, trying to recalled his memory from one of the dreamscape exertions: "The warlock with sparkling tattoo on his face?"

"Yes." Still feeling uncomfortable, the air genasi shifted slightly: "…arh…but he didn't know she was his granddaughter until…until she died."

"I wonder how he got this…"Gannayev laughed lightly, before noticing his companion's uneasiness. Perhaps it was the druid's imagination. Suddenly his blue eyes seemed…darkened.

"What's wrong?" His voice sounded a little hoarser than usual as their eyes locked: "I don't bite, my sweet."

Completely mesmerized, Leela watched as the blue hagspawn reached out his hand and gently ran his long finger along her cheek. The air genasi jolted, and began to shiver, but somehow still unable to tear her gaze away from him.

"As the matter of fact…" Gannayev's finger now moved onto her lips, lightly and slowly pressing them. His voice was now to an almost inaudible whisper: "It's quite the contrary…"

The blue hagspawn moved closer and tilted her chin up. As if she was made of snow, any extra pressure would melt her, he kissed her, feathery and gently. Leela's mind exploded into a thousand stars, and when all the brightness settled, it was total blankness.

Somewhere on the back of her head, she knew. She knew this would happen the minute she saw him in the holding cell, way back in Musantir prison.

It was only the matter of time.

A surge of warmth rose from her abdominal area and quickly spread through her body. The last time someone kissed her like that felt like so long ago. The druid inhaled deeply, allowing the dreamwalker's arms slowly wrap around her shoulders and drew her nearer. Gannayev groaned when Leela opened her mouth instinctively. His kiss deepened and became more demanding. His teeth began to nibble her upper lip and both his hands were now moving up to her face, cupping it between them.

Their breath soon both turned short and haste. The air genasi's arms soon climbed up the hagspawn's shoulders and circled around his neck, while one of the hagspawn's hands rested on the base of her neck to deepen his kiss even further.

"Leela…" The dreamwalker murmured her name as his kiss moved away from her lips, along her chin and down toward the back of her ears. The druid shivered again, and sighed his name as his breath brushed past her ears.

Gannayev's hands fumbled the hem of her tunic and slipped in. Leela inhaled deeply when his fingers touched the bareness of her skin. Her knees buckled. She yarned for more, more of his touch, his kiss, and his everything. The Spirit Eating Curse, the Sword Coast, the Rashmen - were no longer important…

Suddenly, Bishop's face flashed through her mind.

Glaring at her, the dark ranger's usual sulking feature seemed accusing her of something. His hazel brown eyes were hinted with certain sadness, struggles and despair. It was a rather familiar look. Toward the end of their war against the King of Shadows, the former Luskan scout often gave her the same look, without explaining to her why. That look always made her heart ache in places that she previously was unaware of.

The air genasi was jerked awake.

She broke off her kiss with the blue hagspawn and quickly pulled herself away from him. Of course, the dreamwalker was terribly confused.

"Leela?" Panted, Gannayev looked at her quizzically.

The druid waved her arms in front of her frantically and backed toward the ladder that leaded toward the ground below.

"Leela, what's going on?" The dreamwalker was in frown.

Tears started to well up and trickled down her face. Leela shook her head vigorously, while continued to wave her hands in front of her.

"I…." She hiccupped: "I should go."

"What?" The puzzle on Gannayev's face deepened: "Leela? Have I done something wrong?"

"No…" The air genasi's feet already on the ladder: "It's not you… it's…"

She did not finish her sentence. She couldn't. She had to leave. She had to get out of here. She had to run away from all of these. Away from Bishop's heartbreaking look in her head and the blue hagspawn's bewildered stare burning on her back as she slid down the ladder and stumbled into the snow. The druid's vision became blurry. Everything around her became nothing but pure whiteness.

She tripped and fell down to her knees. Both hands were on her head, Leela let out a cry of misery. She watched the warm air she breathed out slowly rose to the velvet sky above, where the light ribbon still danced among the stars…


	36. Chapter 36

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Six – Kuarra **

"Spirit Eater."

The little girl, looked no more than the age of 7, stood by the brazier near the Mulsantir gate. As they drew near, she called out Leela's curse, instead of her name. Her eyes stared straight at the former knight captain, shimmering with something that surpassed her age. Her cropped brown hairs were smudged with mud and grass. Her battered cloth, if you can call that a cloth, were more like some barely treated animal skin hung on the child's tiny frame, were battered and torn along the hems. There was certain uneasiness circled around her.

They had returned to Mulsantir for a couple of days now. After thanking Vaszil at the docks, they headed straight back to the three wychlarans. The witches expressed their sincere apologies for mistrusting and misguiding her, sending her into a mess of hate and deception. In return, to show their gratitude, Sheva Whitefeather, their leader, promised them a fair treatment from then on, and had ordered everyone within the city to do the same.

They spend the next day resting and restocking their supply in the city, while deciding where they were going to next. With the Wood Man trail now come to an end, pretty much every clue they had gathered so far were open for interpretation and investigation.

"The Vault." The druid carefully moved a cherry tomato from one side of her plate to the other, separated it from the rest. They were having their lunch in the tavern, eating and drinking away what possibly one of the few decent meals they were going to have in the next couple of months.

"I seriously doubt it was relevant." Kaelyn shook her head: "It's my personal pilgrimage. There is no need to do it in a hurry."

"I suggest we talk to someone at the Temple of Kelemvor, the one in _our plane_, before we head back to the Shadow Mulsantir." Safiya waved her spoon slightly: " However, I agree with Kae, we won't find anything we haven't already known."

"You don't think anyone there will know anything about that vault in the Shadow Plane?" Leela arched her eyebrow quizzically.

"They are the servants of _Kelemvor_, not Myrkul." The Red Wizard arched her tattooed eyebrow: "I don't think so."

"Point taken." The air genasi moved another cherry tomato across the plate: "Humph…Sunken City?"

She cast a quick side-glance at Gannayev across the table and saw him straighten up from his chair a little. She knew he had wanted to do this for a quite some time. Since that night at the garrison, they were not having any chance to talk about what happened between them. They still talked, but their topics restricted to some mild daily greetings and their quest. From the occasional glance the blue hagspawn gave her and the sometimes soundless movement of his mouth, he was very eager to talk to her about something otherwise. Yet somehow the druid could not bring herself to do just that. How could she expect someone to understand, about her mourning over her lover who had already betrayed her prior to his dead? How could she expect someone to understand, about her doubt regarding everything and everyone around her that they wouldn't disappear at the drop of the hat? How could she trust her own feelings, when the last time she did so, it ended up nearly tearing herself into pieces?

No, she didn't think it would work.

"Now that's something worth investigating." She heard Okku comment: "Didn't those gargoyles say their masters went to the Sunken City before carrying out the deed of gutting you, then placing you in my Barrow?"

"Humph…" Leela cast another sneak glance at the dreamwalker again, but quickly looked away when she noticed he was looking back at her intently: "So… where is this Sunken City again?"

"Down the south." The telthor bear god cocked his head sideway: "In the Lake Mulsantir."

"Huh?" The air genasi's brow shot up: "But it's a city?"

"Coveya Kurg'annis, also known as the Sunken City." Safiya pointed at the location on the map rolled out on the table: "was once a major Imaskari City. These days most of the ruin was submerged underwater. That's where the Slumbering Coven is."

"In the water?" The druid frowned: "The last time I checked, the hags don't know how to swim."

"My sweet, there are still plenty of ruins above the water." Gannayev couldn't help himself but chuckled: "Perhaps they are somewhere around there, yes?"

Leela glared at the blue hagspawn half-sternly for a few second before opening her mouth again: "I suppose…humph, we will go to the Sunken City next."

"We should leave at dawn." Safiya finished the house red wine in her goblet and gingerly placed it back to the table: "From what I was told, it will be wise to arrive there during the day and wait for the night."

"Why?" The air genasi was curious.

"You will see." The Red Wizard pushed herself away from the table and excused herself from the room.

They spent the remaining day getting ready, stuffing everything to the enchanted rucksacks Safiya had purchased from the cleric in the market. The fine embroidered bags were exquisite. They were made by the Red Wizards of Thay and had several protective spells cast upon them. It could contain a whole room's weapons and potions without bursting. They also visited the priest in the temple of Kelemvor. But just like the Red Wizard had predicted, the priest merely told them what they had already known. When the sun once again climbed up along the treeline and soaked everything in golden light, they departed the Rashemen city at once. Just as they were about to head through the door, a strange looking girl stepped in front of them, with the oddest addressing Leela had ever heard in her life.

"What…my memory must have failed me, do I know you?" The air genasi could not believe what she had heard. She looked at the girl skeptically. Somehow the batter-clothed child did not strike her as a beggar: "What's your name?".

"My name is Kuarra. Forgive me for approaching you with such a vigor manner, Spirit Eater." The small child bowed: "But I have very little time. I believe you are searching for the knowledge of your _gift_."

"Huh?" The druid blinked: " My what?"

"Your gift." The girl inclined her head: "It is the power that you possess as the spirit-eater. Beings who possess the Gift are revered among the Hill tribe."

"Are you sure we are talking about the same thing?" Leela exchanged looks with her companions before turning her attention back to the little child: "I think you meant my _curse_. "

A hint of devilish anger suddenly flicked through her small face, made the features totally scrunched up and resembled something from the other Plane. For a moment, she did not look like a child at all. But that was only a brief moment, the girl's face soon returned to her usual otherworldly appearance again. The air genasi frowned slightly, unsure if she just saw what she thought she saw.

"Arh, you must had spoken to the Witches, have you?" The child snorted: "Pfft, of course they would have you to believe that, wouldn't they? They seek to control you like they have done with other spirit-eaters in the past, by either manipulating them or hunting them."

"You don't' sound like you are in the best term with the hathran, don' you?" Gannayev mused, rested one hand under his chin.

"No, sir." The girl shook her head: "Long have the Witches that rule Mulsantir hunted the Hill Tribe. If they caught me here, I would share the fate of my parents and so many others of my people."

"Hill Tribe?" Said Saifya and Okku in unison, whose eyebrows both nearly shot to the sky above them.

"Hill...what?" The druid was bewildered. It was indeed something she had never heard of. But judging by the reaction of her companions, she wasn't the only one.

"The Hill Tribe." Nodded Kuarra sternly.

"Right... So… you risk your life to speak to me?" Leela could not believe her ears.

"Aye," The little child gave the air genasi another bow: "I was sent by my grandsire, Headman Ujuk. He wishes to share with you the knowledge of your gift. Knowledge that the Witches of Mulsantir do not wish you to possess. I cannot tell you more, but my tribe greatly wishes to meet you, spirit-eater. Would you come to visit the Hill Tribe?"

The druid frowned: "Where is it?"

"You will find the Hill Tribe in the Wells of Lurue." Certain excitement beamed out of the little girl's face. She seemed couldn't help herself but hopping, while her hands were in tight fists: "Normally we stay well hidden, but I will keep watch for your coming, spirit-eater."

And with that, she ran off, quickly disappearing in the morning mist through the gate.

"What do you think?" Her glare still fixed at the gate, Safiya asked Leela skeptically:

"I don't know…" With one brow arched up, the air genasi was uncertain: "The whole thing…seemed a little bizarre…"

"Well, it's no harm in investigating." Kaelyn chew the bottom of her lips: "The Wells aren't very far from the Sunken City. We can check it out on our way there."

"I concurred." Grunted Okku: "Somehow that place sounds utterly familiar, yet in my entire life, as a mortal or spirit, I had never heard of such a tribe, perhaps we should check it out."

The druid glanced toward the remaining member, who gave her a non-committal shrug. Hidden thoughts and refrained emotions remained dancing behind his velvet eyes. However, he seemed masking them quite well.

"Do what you must do," Gannayev tilted his head and smirked: "or what you feel right."

Leela fingered the hilt of her sword absently as she weighed her options: "Right… I suppose we can go check it out. Though I seriously doubt they will give us anything new."

They passed through the huge gate and headed south. For the remaining day, and the morning that followed, they traveled past the Barrow, crossing rough terrains along the banks of River Mulsantir, rested only when fatigue and physical hunger took them. They encountered very little spirits, monster or otherwise, besides occasional farms and traveling merchants.

Strangely enough, they never encountered the Kuarra girl again on the road either.

"How fast could a little girl travel?" Kaelyn wondered out loud, as the group took a brief rest next to a small spring at the edge of a small forest.

"Gods know." Gannayev whistled: " But for a child, she certainly travel impressively fast!"

"Something to do with this strange Hill Tribe she mentioned, no doubt." Okku remarked.

"I sensed no magic ability on that girl." Said The Red Wizard of Thay as she filled up her waterskin: "Yet… she is a very odd child indeed."

"Humph…" Leela spat out the grass she's been chewing for a while and checked the map again: "She said she will wait for us there. Let's see, aye?"

They pressed on for another hour or so. Soon they arrived at a set of small valleys surrounded by high rock cliffs. There were small passageways and gorges connected to each of them. In some way, they did resemble the wells to certain degree.

Okku suddenly came to a halt as they approached the farmstead in the distance.

"What is it, Okku?" The air genasi arched her eyebrows quizzically.

"Wait…I…" The great bear spirit looked around and slightly bewildered: "I know…I know this place."

"Truly?" The druid looked around consciously. She noticed Gannayev stopped, too. His facial expression also became confused and anxious.

"Yes… I remember a pool... a gathering of beasts... water rushing from above..." The Telthor God frowned, deep within the distance memory: "The moisture on the air... it carries the scent of my clan. And their voices, too. They are _near_i, Leela, can…can you hear them?"

Leela tilted her head and listened for a while. Other then the gentle afternoon breeze and the sound of waters, she heard nothing.

"I'm afraid I hear nothing, Okku." She shook her head.

"I heard it, too." Gannayev came to the bear god's side and pat his hide.

"You…you do, too?" The telthor spirit's eyes suddenly became misty: "Do...do they live? I hear pain in their cries… and rage."

"They are…lost," The blue hagspawn hung his head: "they are the cries of those confused, the lost—the mad. We need to be careful, Old King Bear. I fear you might be in danger here."

"Did you hear that, little one?" A hint of joy burst through Okku's eyes: "They are here! My kin are _here_! Hiding among the rocks, perhaps. But why…"

"Okku, listen. Listen to me." The druid tilted the bear's chin up until their eyes met: "We will find them, alright? There is no need to despair. You are a Telthor god. Nothing can hide away from you. Nothing, yes?"

"Yes, Okku." Safiya's ebony hand also patted the spirit leader's fur: "We will find them. And we will seek the answers. We will help you."

"Yes…yes, of course." The bear god scanned around and looked at his companions determined faces, his rigid body seemed to relax slightly. He cast them an appreciated look: "You…your eyes are sharp, and my nose is keen. They…they won't elude us. Though…their voices are a little bit hard to catch…"

Gannayev chuckled and patted the Telthor bear god once again: "Shall we get in first, aye? Come on, you won't find anything by just standing here."

"Humph…" Commented Kaelyn the Dove: "Perhaps we can ask the farmstead about this area before we continue on?"

They approached the farmstead. Like any farmstead they had came across on the way, this one had put up certain defenses around the house. Sharp and large wood pins fenced around the compound. Leela could see there were a few hidden traps by the stream. There was a large blasting brazier by the half opened gate.

A middle aged man, presumably the farmer, stood just behind the gate. He stared at the vegetable patch with a certain wild and worried look on his face. Completely oblivious about his visitor, it took Leela several calls to jerk him back to the reality. He quickly assembled a friendly facial expression, ready to greet his visitor.

As soon as he saw who were in front of him, however, the smile just flew upon his weathered face disappeared.

"YOU!" He pointed at Gannayev, who seemed rather started at the farmer's rage reaction: "How dare you have the guts to return to this place? Have you come to spit on my generosity again, spawn of hags? I was a fool, ignoring the others that warned me, offering you my roof and welcome words the last time. I should have leaved you outside! Who cares about a hungry hagspawn, if all they care is sneak into my sweet daughter's dream and…did gods knows what to her!"

"WHAT?" The blue hagspawn's brows shot up, so was Leela's.


	37. Chapter 37

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven – Anya **

Leela folded her hands and studied Janik's daughter, Anya, who stood by the fire and fiddled with the small clay dolls absent-mindedly. The girl seemed fairly young, definitely no more than at the age of 20. With olive skin, charcoal dark hair, hazel brown eyes and the light purple flower clipped just above the ear, her youthful features had certain beauty in them. However, she did not seem to notice anyone around them. She simply stared blankly at the toys, with a dreamy smile hanging on her face.

Something indeed wasn't right there.

"She looks like a love-sick child." Whispered Kaelyn by the air genasi's ear.

Janik had every reason to worry. When they met the worry stricken farmer outside the gate, it was exactly what was written on his weathered face.

Yet Gannayev's reaction seemed genuine. He really had no idea what this farmer was talking about. His dark eyebrows were in knots. There was a mixture of panic and bewilderment quickly flickering through his velvet blue eyes.

"Have we met?" The blue hagspawn gave him an arched eyebrow, arms folding: "I expect nothing from the farmers of Rashemen except the fact and tone you show me now. Rest easy, for I am not here to share a roof - nor will I ever again, with such a reception."

The farmer growled, almost launched himself toward the dreamwalker upon hearing his words. Leela and the others had to hold his arms and refrain the old man from doing anything rash.

"Curse you! Damn you!" Cursed the farmer, with eyes nearly budged out of his eye sockets: "Expect no hospitality from me, now or ever, dog. I offered you all this, and you took the stable... and ran your sickly claws through my daughter's mind!"

"Perhaps," Said the air genasi through her gritted teeth, trying her hardest to wrestle with a man who was a lot masculine than she was: "You can explain how this was happened in the first place? Obviously my companion had no recollection what was going on…"

"_No recollection_?" The old farmer was now shouting on the top of his head: "How convenient! Consider the hells he had put me through! My precious girl, my dearest's daughter! You…you sick, sick, bastard! They were right; I shouldn't have even opened the door! I should let you freeze to dead outside!"

"For your information, old man, you were very keen to let me in as soon as I showed you some coins!" Snarled the dreamwalker.

"Ahah!" Sneered the farmer: "So you do know what's happen! Sneaky, sneaky hagspawn!"

Safiya sighed, stepped forward and raised her hand. Seconds later, the farmer was in the mid air; all tied up by vines the Red Wizard had conjured up magically and yelled what the druid would assume was something not very polite in Rashemen.

"Thank you." The druid gave her friend a small grin before spoke to the old man again: "Now, I am sorry. We haven't got your name?"

"….Janik." The old farmer paused, his teary eyes glared at her for quite some time before spilling out his name reluctantly.

"Right. Now, Sir, let's say _I_ have no idea what was happening, shall we?" The druid sighed: "Would any one of you here, your or Gann, at least tell _me_, what is going on? How was our friend here in the first place?"

"…I am a dreamwalker. I walk where my dreams take me," After another long minute, Gannayev let out a sigh, too and replied to her question slowly: "but I am, after all, a mortal. On occasion, I need a roof and bed rather than the stars. Upon even rarer occasion, I am courteously offered a place to stay and treated as a guest."

"I…" Janik began to sob loudly. His voice caught in his throat: "I offered you a place to stay, hagspawn, but you only had eyes for corrupting my Anya, my precious jewel…"

"Precious?" The blue hagspawn arched his eyebrow: "You took the money and you walked off to gods knows where, leaving your daughter alone greeting the guest. You did not seem to worry about your girl back then. And _corrupting_? Now I'd be careful, lest I take offense. Your daughter is a lovely flower, but not quite ready to pick, I think."

Leela, as well as Safiya and Kaelyn, gasped. The comment the dreamwalker made wasn't exactly an appropriate one. In fact, it was the first time they heard Gannayev say something that was remotely near. Perhaps he took this insult personally.

Janik writhed and growled even louder. His bloodshot eyes nearly tore the poor blue hagspawn in half: "How dare you?… How dare you speak of her that way - she is hurt and wounded, and you make light of it!"

"What was wrong with your daughter?" Leela couldn't help herself but ask.

"She…she speaks in mumbles." The aged farmer's body went limp: "Half-words…ever since the visit of this sinister creature! Lost to madness, because of _him_!"

"You think I bear the weight for that? You soil-churning fool of a farmer, watch where your tongue takes you." Gannayev's fist tightened. His body was tense, and his eyes were burst with anger: "I have done nothing to your daughter. If you blame me, I demand proof! If not, th—"

"SEE HER!" Janik cried out, completely cut off the dreamwalker's sneer: "See her, then! See how my Anya whispers your name, as if in your embrace. Then tell me if you have not touched her mind and left it in ruins!"

"You bloody damn sure I will." Without waiting for the answers from the others, the blue hagspawn sprung around and began to march toward the farmhouse at the end of the vegetable field, while mumbling away under his tone as he went: "_I_ did that? Preposterous…"

The house seemed reasonably nice and tidy. However, the air within the wooden hut seemed…cold and lonely. It suddenly stroked to Leela that perhaps the farmer had indeed neglected this house and his daughter a little bit too long.

"Humph…" Anya seemed have sensed the stirs around her and slowly blinked her eyes: "Arh…Gannyev?"

"Hi." Gannayev inclined his head and smiled politely.

The girl cocked her head sideway and frowned: "What are you…am I awake? Or…"

"You are awake, yes." Replied the blue hagspawn.

"No!" Panic flickered through Anya's young face and she started to shake her head vigorously: "No, no, no, no, you must not come here, father will see! We've agreed you only come in dreams, only then we can be…_alone._"

"What?" The blue hagspawn's brows nearly shot to the ceiling: "I have no intention to enter your dream, nor have I…after the night I stayed in your house!"

"So you did enter her dream." Leela blurt out without thinking. She immediately beat herself up for it. Was that really matter? The dreamwalker can come and go from anyone's dream as they pleased, why should Gannayev be any different?

"I never said I didn't." Gannayev half-turned his head and looked at the air genasi. His eyes seemed slightly desperate, as if trying to explain something. Yet it remained well hidden behind the thick confusion: "But in most of the dreams I ventured in, I was barely an observer. I'd never do anything to the dreamer. That's not something a dreamwalker will do."

"But…" Anya stuttered and seemed slightly puzzled: "But... but you came to me last night, and the night before, and the night bef—" Her eyes darted from the blue hagspawn toward Leela. Suddenly her small face enlightened: "Arh…you only said that because she was here, do you? You try to protect me! Awe, Gann…my sweet…sweet Gann…"

The air genasi quickly turned her head away, from both the dreamwalker and the farm girl. Something evoked deep inside her mind. Something familiar yet uncomfortable. She blinked her eyes and inhaled deeply, brushing that unpleasant tension away. The druid could feel Gannayev's stare linger upon her, almost burning into her soul. She dared not meet his gaze. _No, focus on the task in hand, there is little point to dwell on…things… such as this._

"No," She heard the blue hagspawn spoken to Anya patiently: "Anya, I did not come to you. I have not steped into your dream.

"But…but you _have_!" The young farm girl cried out. Her voice went a few pitches higher: "Who are you? You are not…not acting like yourself… Are you putting on this show so the others won't follow? Do you fear to reveal your feelings for me in front of her?"

"No, Anya. L—" The dreamwalker tried to reason. But his words were cut off by the young girl.

"But…no, this cannot be." Anya shook her head violently: "No…I believe in you, Gann. Perhaps at times you are confused, as I am—more and more, the waking world takes its toll. In dreams is where I wish to live."

Gannayev frowned. He tilted his head and studied the farm girl for a while, before tabbing his fingers on his chin thoughtfully: "Her father is not lying, something was wrong with this girl."

"Tell me something we don't know." Okku grunted.

Ignoring the Telthor bear's sarcastic mocking, the blue hagspawn turned his attention back to Anya: "Right, Anya."

"Humph?" The farm girl simply beamed and smiled at him sweetly.

The blue hagspawn looked up to the ceiling and sighed: "Can you close your eyes for a moment?"

"Well, of course!" Anya smiled and closed her eyes: "Are we playing games?"

"Not exactly." The dreamwalker reached out his hand.

Silver lights began to shimmer. He shut his eyes and tilted sideway for a few second before opened them again, widen in surprise.

"Gods," He gasped: "She's not lying. I did visit her."

"What?" Safiya piped up: "But you just told us—"

"I know what I said." The blue hagspawn gave her a pleading look: "Yes, I was in her dream. But I didn't say it was me."

"Huh?" Pretty much everyone in the room arched their eyebrow.

"She…she shaped another me in her mind." Explained the dreamwalker.

"But that's the power of the most experienced dreamwalker." Kaelyn pointed out: "This girl looks no more than 20."

"I know that!" Gannayev waved his hands: "I only said what I found, my sweet. This girl is unique. She possesses such a power at such and young age, I've only heard of it in my life. Never witness one myself."

" Ganneyev?" Anya watched on as the blue hagspawn trying to explain the situation to the others: "What's going on?"

"What are you planning to do about this?" Asked Saifya: "You are aware what's going to happen if you don't do anything…"

" I am fully aware of that." The dreamwalker sighed: "However, I cannot fix this, at least not alone. My power is not strong enough. I agree with you, the more she shapes this echo of me, the worse her madness will become. We need to end this other Gann, and quickly, before he becomes any more real."

Anya darted her gaze between them as they spoke, her face became more and more puzzled.

"Why are you speaking of madness?" Her eyes were widened in confusion: "And of killing yourself? It makes... ...unless... you are not real yourself." Fear suddenly crept upon her face, she started grabbing the clay dolls on the mantelpiece and threw them at Gannayev: "Get away from me! You are a shadow, an impostor, and a reflection, a lie cast by truth! Get out, get out!"

"Great, now we can't even look at her." Okku grumbled: "How are we suppose to kill whoever this other Gannayev ?"

"I don't know. And I don't believe that's my problem." The blue hagspawn replied half heartily. He went straight toward farmer Janik, who sat on the edge of his vegetable patch, looked utterly deflated, leaning against the handle of a hoe, with sadness and regret written all over his face.

"Am I too late…?" He mumbled quietly, almost to himself, as Leela and the rest of them approached: "Gods, what have I done? What have I done?"

"Janik." The dreamwalker came to a halt in front of the farmer: "We had seen, nay, heard your daughter."

"So?" The old man jerked his head up and glared at him: "See what state you had turned my daughter into? I did not lie."

"No, you did not." Gannayev shook his head: "However, your arrows of blame have been fired at the wrong target. This... "Gann" she whispers of, I assure you, is not me."

Janik's eyes immediately flicked up and scowled at him: " Do not lie to me! She refers to you. Do not dare seek to wash your hands off this!"

Gannayev closed his eyes and sighed: "Janik…I hope if you don't mind I am addressing you by name instead of something insulting?"

The old farmer continued to glare at him before finally gave in and nodded his head slightly.

"If you don't mind me asking, how often do you return home, prior to my brief stay?" Asked the blue hagspawn.

"I…" Janik's face turned red: "That's not hardly the point…"

"I think I know where Gann is getting at, Janik." Kaelyn cut in softly: "Neglecting those you love had taken its toll, isn't it?"

Tear once again streaming down the grief father's eyes. He didn't answer their question, but the answer was clear enough.

"I cannot promise you anything, as the situation was not caused by me." The blue hagspawn continued: "Your daughter has gift. She is very unique, something I've never…never seen in my life, and let me assure you; I've seen quite a lot of things. Because she had never learned how to use her 'gift', her dreams run strong, and they rule her, not the other way around. In her dreams, she has made a "Gann," but this Gann is something she has woven, and it bears little resemblance to me. Do you understand what I said, Janik?"

Janik stared at him for a while and shook his head.

"Her life is not in an immediate danger," Gannayev rested his hands on his waist and stared at his boots: "but I do suggest you to have someone to have a look at her quickly. There is another dreamwalker in Mulsantir, whose age and power are far greater than mine. His name is Nak'kai. Seek his help. He might be able to assist you."

"…Thank you." The old farmer rubbed his eyes with knuckles.

"Shouldn't you be the one who fetch Nak'kai? " Safiya frowned as they walked away from the farm and entered the small passageways.

"Should I?" The blue hagspawn arched his eyebrow: "After being treated so badly for something that was not caused by me, for a change, do you really think I should? Would you do that, should you be in my shoes, the Red Wizard of Thay?"

"No." The Red Wizard shook this head and didn't say anything further.

The dreamwalker turned his head around and looked at Leela, who was walking ahead. She hasn't spoken anything since leaving Janik's farm. In fact, she had been awfully quiet. The look on her face, both that night and when Anya spoken to him affectingly moments earlier, nearly tore him into pieces. The tension was unfamiliar to him, to be honest. He desperately wanted to grab her by the arms and shout at her it wasn't him who the farm girl was smiling at, not the person who had been traveling with since meeting her in Mulsantir prison, not the one who's by her side when she traipsing through thick Ashenwood snow in search for the Wood Man…

Not the one who kissed her up in the watchtower, under the vanilla twilight.

He was a spirit shaman, a dreamwalker. He had witnessed enough from the others, dreaming or not, that this could not be real. Most of them were accompanied by heartaches and tears. Hasn't himself know long ago such a thing did not exist? If it was, his own night hag mother would not abandon him in the forest.

_No, this could not be such a thing._

They turned around the corner and saw the familiar little figure standing by the entrance of a gorge. Her brown hair was cropped and smudged with mud and twigs. Her battered cloths, if you can call that a cloth, were more like some barely treated animal skin hanging on the child's tiny frame, were battered and torn along the hems…

"Now, that just scared the living daylight out of me." Okku blurt out: "How in the world of Toril had she got here before we did?"

"Welcome, Spirit Eater." Kuarra bowed, continued to speak in the strange manner: "I've kept watch for you. Headman Ujuk will so be pleased that you came."

And with that word, her otherworldly face suddenly broke into a grin. A grin when a predator found its prey. A grin that sent shivers down to everyone's spine. A grin that made the hair of the back of the neck prickle.

"Is that just me," Gannayev whispered as the girl turned around and disappeared into the small gorge: "Or do we all have this tickling feeling that this Hill Tribe secret sharing meeting isn't exactly what it seems to be?"


	38. Chapter 38

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight – Ujuk The Uthraki.**

Half way up into the gorge and past a set of strange looking totem pillars, Kuarra started to hum.

The songs sounded festive and it was filled with certain catchy tune. It wasn't bad to hear, but somehow almost everyone in Leela's group started to frown as soon as they heard it.

"Oh-oh." Gannayev arched his eyebrow and murmured: "This is not good."

"Is that….what I think she was singing?" Safiya wasn't exactly sure.

"What was that?" Leela half-turned her head and asked Okku over her shoulder: "Something in that song was unsettling?"

"It is a nursery rhyme sung in Rashemi." The blue hagspawn moved forward and mumbled next to the druid's ear quietly. The air genasi blushed slightly, but managed to keep her face expressionless: "Not a very pleasant one once you listen to the lyric. Something about picking bones and buried under the marble stones."

"We have something similar on the Sword Coast. Children love that kind of thing." Leela nodded: "What so special about this one?"

"This one is cursed." Okku grunted: "It was created by Durthan, cleverly woveninto the verses with a powerful spell. It summoned the dark spirits and bound them to your body. The Witches actually banned people singing the tunes after several incident involved in the entire household was killed and not a single drop of blood on site."

"You heard of that, too?" The Red Wizard gushed.

"I was awakened and summoned, very briefly, by those Wychlaran, in one of the cases, to rid of the spirits," the telthor spirit explained.

"And she's singing it just now." The air genasi started to feel slightly uneasy.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Gannayev kicked the small rocks on the ground.

"Indeed." Kaelyn the Dove agreed: "I suggest we have our spells and weapons ready, out of their sight."

They nodded toward each other and placedtheir hands on their weapons silently. The girl lead them up another steep hill and rounded another corner. More strange looking totem pillars followed.

"Now those statues certainly do not resemble anything human…." Safiya stared at the totem in alarm.

"No, indeed." Kaelyn's eyebrows were in knots.

More of Kuarra's fellow tribal members started to reveal themselves from the hidden spot. All of them dressed in asimilar fashion and had the same odd wicked expression on their faces when they saw Leela and her party walking past them. Finally, they reached the end of the gorge and stood in a reasonably sized opening. Several makeshift shacks wereerected around a large pile of bones in the middle. Upon closer inspection, they realised those were human bones.

"I am now seriously doubting this is a cozy secret sharing party," Gannayev whispered under his tone.

Kuarra came to a halt at the bone pile and bowed her head. A strong, largely built man slowly moved out of the shadow. His body was slabbed with muscle. His beard obscured most of his face, leaving only a big nose and his glittering beady eyes. Next to him, two odd looking tribal women emerged from the shack. Both of them were extremely erotic. They eyed the blue hagspawn up and down, before theyleaned toward each other and let out a giggle. Leela suddenly had the urge to leap forward and gouge their eyes out.

The large man studied them for a moment before his face broke into a devastating grin, showing his yellow teeth.

"Spirit Eater joins Hill Tribe for a feast. And spirit eater has brought an ursine ally!" Exclaimed the man with his arms opened.

"Who—What?" Leela frowned and asked**, **puzzled: "Who are you?"

"Forgive my manners!" The man inclined his head: "Name's Ujuk. I am the leader of my Hill Tribe."

"Pleased to meet you, Ujuk. Your little girl there," The air genasi pointed at Kuarra in front of her: "suggested you had the knowledge of spirit eaters?"

"Arh.." Ujuk nodded and smiled at Kuarra satisfactorily: " Indeed. I have lived since another time, centuries past. A time when stories walked the lands in flesh... and blood. I have known spirit-eaters in many different shapes. Some I have befriended, learned from and taught. Others I have eaten, when they betrayed the Gift. It is a service I provide in respect to spirit-eater, so that the Gift may pass to one worthy of it."

"Alright…" The druid chewed the corner of her lips thoughtfully. "And what do you mean by 'ursine ally'?"

"Okku," Ujuk pointed at the telthor spirit god. "The bear king once hunted and tried to eat me. I still bear the scars from Okku's teeth."

"Huh?" Okku said**, **puzzled: "I have hunted many throughout the years. Very few have escaped my claws, and I remember them all. I do not remember you."

"Tsk-tsk." The Hill Tribe chief smirked: "Okku does not remember me because I conceal myself with the skin of my prey. The spirit eater before me betrays the Gift by defeating one such as Okku and not feeding on it to gain the power that is spirit eater's right."

"Looks like the secret sharing party is officially off, Lee." Safiya drew out her staff.

"Strong words coming from you and your tribe, don't you think?" Leela drew out her katana. "I am afraid Okku is a valuable ally and friend to me. Touching him will result in the most painful death you can ever imagine."

Despite their situation, the telthor bear god was touched beyond words. "I am truly grateful for your defense, little one. Considering the circumstances on how we first crossed-paths."

"Then you do now know me very well, Okku." The corner of Leela's mouth curled up: "I valued those who fought with me side by side, and held no grudge against them about the ground we are standing upon."

"I'm honoured, Leela." The telthor spirit grunted.

"Likewise." The air genasi inclined her head.

Ujuk started to laugh and laugh. Soon the people around them began to laugh, too. The laughter was devilish, blood curling, and dead creepy. It sent everyone on edge and had their eardrums throbbing.

"Like spirit eater, us Hill Tribe wear different shapes." The tribal chief snarled: "We do not feed in human form…"

Their features became blurry. In the blink of an eye, Ujuk's height shot upward and expanded twice the size as he used to. His defined facial features, on the other hand, shrunk inward. His large nose became round and squashy; his teeth grew longer and eventually jarred out of his thick lips, his eyes multiplied in numbers and became eight. Leela and her companions realised they were surrounded by a small horde of strange looking beast that she honestly had never seen in her lifetime.

"Arh…" Okku suddenly grinned: "Now I know who you are, Ujuk."

"What is he?" Asked the druid.

"Uthraki," Gannayev answere.: "The shapeshifting cannibal ape. I should have known."

"There is no way of knowing," Okku snarled toward the Uthraki around them. "They are very, very good at disguising themselves. I remember the taste of this one's blood…this time, I shall have more than just a taste, I think."

"Cha-cha." Ujuk, now in Uthraki form, sniggered wickedly: "Now spirit eater sees the true form of Hill Tribe. What does the spirit eater think, aye? Perhaps, this time the Gift will pass to me when spirit-eater dies. I suspect I killed the other too quickly before. I shall make this death linger!"

His hands, as large as small plates, flew toward Leela as soon as he finished his line. Okku leaped forward and fended off his attack. Kuarra launched herself toward the air genasi as well, only to be pushed aside by Gannayev, waving his quarterstaff in his hand.

"Try touch her again and I swear you will be skewered. " He snarled, eyes fired up: "I don't usually show mercy on children, especially your kind."

Kuarra probably was a young Uthraki. She hissed, seemed totally frighten by the threat, and ran off.

The two Uthraki Matron nearby snarled, and began attacking the blue hagspawn at once. The dreamwalker cast Arc of Lightening, sending both of them shrieking in pain. He then sprang, his quarterstaff stretched out, and it promptly sunk into the one of the female Uthraki's chest. The beast cried out in pain, before she managed to break free. She staggered back slightly, looked at her wound in astonishment, before her eyes once again fumed and launched herself another attack.

Gannayev dug his heels and sprang again. His cerulean tinted long hair flew around his face. He managed to dodge the female creature's second attack. And with a surge of light that whooshed through his body, the Uthraki Matron's body went stiff and fell backward, temporarily paralyzed by his Hold Monster spell.

He straightened his back, and turned his gaze toward the remaining Matron. Smirking, the blue hagspawn reached out one hand and gave her an challenging gesture

The female Uthraki growled and lashed forward, waving her fist aggressively. The dreamwalker darted aside, avoided her physical attacks with ease. Smirking, he waved his hands and shot some Magic Missiles at the creature. Purple arrows erupted from his fingertips and promptly whooshed toward the monster. The Uthraki Matron could not escape in time and was hit. Her body shook violently before collapsing onto the ground.

"Pfftt." Gannayev pattedthe dust off his clothes: "Easy-peasy."

Another Uthraki charged from the other side and aimed his attack at Safiya. The Red Wizard of Thay jerked her head around and her glare at the monster was icy. Spells burst out of the tip of her staff. A fire wall wasinstantly erected in front of her, causing the monster to jump away at the last minute, cursing loudly in gods knew what language. She smirked, and her lips moved. A meteor shower smashed down from the sky above them, sending several young Uthrakis scattering for cover. Kaelyn nearby flapped her wings and soared through to the air, narrowly avoiding two young female beasts' attack. Silvery lights beamed out from her dark eyes. Her hands bolted out massive spells, draining energies from several Uthrakis around her.

Okku wrestled on the ground with the Uthraki chief Ujuk, who kept trying to head toward Leela but was blocked by the telthor spirit. Their entangled bodies thrashed and rolled around the opening, crushing and flattening several shacks along the way. A large cloud of dust was generated around them. The air genasi knocked her Drow bow twice, and twice she gave up because she was having trouble telling them apart. She stared at the blur of whirling colour for a moment, before deciding to cast some mass spell instead. Sparks crackled out of her hands. Soon Blizzards carrying hailstones as big as her fist smashed down from above. A couple of the eight-eyed beasts promptly turned into ice on the spot.

Suddenly, something huge and heavy flew out of nowhere and knocked the druid sideways. Caught off guard, she staggered a few steps and nearly toppled over a pile of collapsing shacks. Sparks flashed inside her eyes, and for a moment she lost all her senses. Blood immediately spilled out of the corner of her mouth. Leela shook her head, trying to see the source of the attack. Through the blurry vision, she saw a female Uthraki stood not very far from her, grinning, nearly from ear to ear. Saliva trickled thought her jarred teeth and dribbled onto her bare feet. She looked absolutely disgusting.

The air genasi cursed and struggled to get back to her feet. Her arm was grabbed abruptly and steadied by someone. She turned her head around and noticed it was Gannayev.

"Y'alright?" His eyes were filled with concern. A small current of warm sensation passing through his fingers and injected into her body indicated that he had applied some healing spells.

"I..I think so." She made another attempt. The spell seemed to work pretty fast. The druid dug her heel in and raised her gaze at the female Uthraki.

"Let me wipe that ugly smile off your face for ya." She sneered, drew out her scimitar, and lashed out.

The beast laughed and threw another round of punches at her. Leela darted aside. Her leg flew, and kicked. The Uthraki stumbled back, lost balance for a few seconds, before her head bucked against the air genasi. Once again she managed to dive away. The druid flipped in mid air and stabbed the monster as she fell. The blade sank into the creature's flesh. The female Uthraki roared, and waved her giant fist, trying to grab the air genasi. She leaped away from the eight-eyed monster's attack again, drew out her Ice Maiden, and charged toward the beast once more. She dived, slid through between the monster's legs, and hacked her sword from the creature's back. The giant monkey-like beast fell face down, right on top of the bone piles, with icicles poking out of her body.

"Bitch." Leela spat as she straightened her back and pat the dust off her leather armour.

"Don't know you could swear." Gannayev chuckled.

"Oh, don't get me started." The air genasi gave him a tooth bearing grin. "Growing up in a swamp made me swear in all kinds of colourful languages you can ever imagine, but that's hardly lady like, is it?"

The blue hagspawn nearly lost a heartbeat as he watched the druid turned her head swiftly back toward Okku and Ujuk. It was the first time she smiled at her since Ashenwood. For a moment, he thought everything was back to normal, back to where it used to be, back to…..

Nevermind.

The telthor bear god and the Uthraki chief were still fighting. By now, most of the Uthraki were already been dealt with, it was pretty much he and the spirit left. Both of them were clearly exhausted and covered with wounds over their bodies. Ujuk still attempted to break free from Okku's blocking to attack Leela.

"Grr, out of my way!" The beast growled.

"The only chance of getting me out of your way is when I sufficiently kill you," the bear god snarled back.

"Wish granted." The Uthraki chief hissed, waving his fist and punched straight at Okku's face: "I shall deal with the spirit eater _after_ dealing with you!"

The telthor spirit tilted his head sideways to avoid the punch. He then inhaled deeply, pushed Ujuk all the way to the rock cliff and smashed the beast against the rock surface. He opened his jaws and bit the creature. The Uthraki roared in pain, punching the side of the spirit leader harder. Okku clenched his jaws, sank his teeth deeper and refused to budged. The monster thrashed and hit him even more violently. For a moment, the air genasi and the others thought his ribcage was going to collapse.

"Should we…should we help him?" Kaelyn frowned, her quarterstaff raised.

"Don't think his pride will allow you to, my sweet." Gannayev replied absent-mindedly: "The old grandpa bear probably prefers to do this himself."

"Old people and their damn pride." Safiya grimaced.

Okku grunted, losing his grasp slightly, and was immediately being pushed back. He limped, shook his head, and was about to charge back before being punched square in the face. The bear god landed on the crumbling pile of collapsing shacks and soon found the Uthraki sitting over him. The beast's huge punch fell onto him fast and hard.

"Fluffy," Leela murmured quietly. The giant spider instantly hoped off her shoulder and crawled stealthily toward the eight-eyed monkey-like beast. It squirted out several jets of webs and pulled him away from the telthor bear. Kaelyn charged over, her wings fluttered, and her staff waved. The monster hissed as the weapon cut through the skin of his bare chest, and struggled to break free from the entangled webs.

The air genasi ran toward him, leaped and promptly landed on the top of him. She drew out her Drow bow, aimed and took the one last look at Ujuk.

"Sorry to gatecrash your party, dear." Her fingers let go the drawstring. Fire burst out around the a hundred meters radius, finally killing off the Uthraki chief.

"It's Fluffy." She turned around and shrugged as the others looking at her with arched eyebrows: "Can't hold that spider when it decides to help out."

"Ahah." Gannayev's dark blue eyes twinkled.

"How are you faring, Okku?" The druid looked at the telthor bear god on the ground. Kaelyn and Safiya manage to turn him over and applied healing spells on his wounds at the same time.

"I will live." Okku smiled, and instantly hissed when one of his injuries was tugged.: "Talk about secret sharing. Well, at least we learn next time when a dodgy kid asks you to follow her, we make sure she's not a shapeshifted monster first."

"Speaking of which," The blue hagspawn jerked his chin toward the small figure hiding behind the totem in the distance. "I think our friend is hiding from us."

Leela turned her head around. Sure enough, Kuarra's smaller frame was trembling behind the stone statue. The air genasi stood up and walked toward the young Uthraki, closely followed by Gannayev. Upon approaching, she realise there were more than just eight beady eyes staring back at her.

"What the—?" She blinked, unsure if her injury during the battle was more serious than she thought.

"Young ones." The blue hagspawn folded his arms as they stood in front of a rather large group of infant Uthraki. "Those will grow up and become another Hill Tribe. They might come hunt us down, or killing our younglings. Should we spare them?"

Contrast to what they saw earlier, Kuarra's eyes were filled with tears and fear. "Please, spirit eater, I beg you, spare the younglings. They had done no evil. Please, show mercy, do not devour us!"

"What do you say, my sweet?" The dreamwalker turned and looked at the druid.

Leela stared at the younglings in front of her, images of those dying children from her past suddenly flashed through her mind: West Harbour, Fort Locke, High Cliff, and Ember. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to block off those memories of blood soaked little bodies from her head.

"I only killed those Uthraki in self defense." She rubbed her temple and sighed: "I am not a murderer. You may go."

The young Uthraki thanked her again and again, before leading the younglings running out ofthe gorge. The air genasi stood by the giant totem, her hands tightened into fists. The hunger had crept back again. If she had missed this feeding, when would the next one be? Could she last that long this time?

Gods, this constant struggle was just…starting to get very tiring.

She tilted her head back, fighting the urge to burst into tears. After a couple of minutes, she turned and walked back to the group, completely unaware of Gannayev nearby, looking at her, his velvet eyes filled with the a mixture of aching dismay and something else that could not be named.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N,** my apology for the lateness. Been spending most of my time playing a certain BioWare game since its release, plus a recent overseas trip, it took me a while. :)

Thanks for those who''s following the story and hope you enjoy it.

* * *

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine – Ancestor's Fury**

The presence within Leela once again stirred and become agitated, struggling to fight through her steel frame of mind. Around her was the whole pack of telthor bears. Each was seething and hissing in warning as they circled around the traveling party like preys, seizing chances to attack. They already fended off two of them, and it looked like the spirit animals were about to give up soon.

"Didn't you just say these Wells are filled with scents of your clan, Okku?" Said the air genasi through the gritted teeth. She thrust her blade backward, between her arm and her upper body, and smiled slightly as the spirit animal behind her evaporated into thin air.

"Yes indeed." Okku slapped one of the telthor spirits and sent it sliding across the ground and hit the nearby rock surface of the cliff: "However, why those spirits continued to attack us is beyond me.."

"You mean they are not under your command?" Safiya send a crackling icy cold wind toward the telthor bear near him and blasted it away.

"Not every spirit animal in Rashemen is under my command, Thayan Wizard." Okku sneered. Its huge paw waved again and smacked away another bear spirit

"How comforting of you notifying us just now!" Gannayev mocked, summoning two air elementals to join the battle.

"More coming!" Kaelyn the Dove alerted, pointing her quarterstaff at the telthor spirits materialized from the rock wall.

"Oh, charming." Leela muttered a not so elegant curse under her breath.

"I heard that." The blue hagspawn shouted.

"A Knight Captain no more!" The air genasi knotted her Drow bow and began to fire at the spirit enemies in front of her.

"Sure thing!" The dreamwalker winked, before turning his head around and joined his summoned elementals.

It took them a little while to settle with several waves of telthor animal's attack. When Leela's blade drove into the skull of the last telthor wolf spirit, it was way past the midnight.

"Safiya." The druid murmured in an inaudible tone, barley able to utter more words. Too exhausted, her body was trembling, half because of fatigue, half because of something else…

"Yes, Lee?" The Red Wizard could hardly stand as well. Leaning against her magic staff, she cast her friend a side-glance with a tattooed eyebrow arched quizzically.

"Sssss…spells…" With all the excitement of having been surrounded by such a large number of spirits, the air genasi could not hold the surging presence within her body. She had to use all her remaining strength to press it down. Her face turned white, her hands tightened into fists, and her eyes became unfocused, any word coming out of her mouth seemed draining more energy. She swayed, and struggled to even stand still. Temperature around them began to drop. Distinctive shadows started to gather behind her. Immediately the Thayan wizard gasped, tossed the staff away and stumbled forward, her hand busied digging out scroll that they had obtained since Ashenwood.

"Damn, where the hell is that thing?" Safiya's hands were shaking as she pulled out the useless potion vials, blank scrolls, essences and finally found it at the bottom of her bag. She turned and hastily recited the spell out loud. The silver light beamed out of her outstretched hands and quickly croaked the staggering druid, who was barely conscious. The druid's knees buckled and finally gave in. Like a string-less puppet, she slumped onto the ground.

"I'm here." Gannayev also rushed forward, his hands slipped under her arms and caught Leela before her body hit the ground. Her skin was now pale to almost white. Heart on throat, he watched as the spell began to work almost straight away. Shimmering light walked along her elegant body and the air genasi let out a long sigh of relief, visibly relaxed.

"…Thank you." Eyes half closed, Leela sighed, still too tired to speak out loud. Her short white hair was now damp and plastered along her elegant face.

The blue hagspawn gave the druid a slight nod. His face seemed visibly relieved and thick with hidden emotions. He gently propped the air genasi against a rock bolder and slumped back to the ground, watching Kaelyn and Safiya busied themselves with feeding the former Knight Captain more healing potions. He turned his head around and looked at Okku, who was leaning against a large boulder, trying to catch some breath.

"I will take none of those bears are your ancestors, grandpa bear?" Asked the dreamwalker.

"No." Grunted Okku: "Or they wouldn't attack me at all."

"Before today I thought no spirit would attack you." Gannayev smirked: "So forgive me if I sound a little suspicious on those minor matters."

The telthor god did not reply, instead he turned his head toward the entrance for another chasm and frowned: "…It's there…they are all in there. I can feel it."

"Are you certain?" Leela turned her head slightly and glanced at the bear.

"I am certain."

The air genasi managed to get back to her feet and tilted her head, also staring at the entrance, weighing her options.

"Lead the way, Okku." After a while, she said.

Slightly hesitant, the bear god walked toward the entrance, followed by the rest of them. The passage was narrow, and the rock was dampened with moist. At some corner, the cool stone was pushed against their shoulders. In the distance, they could hear water running. There was something tickling in the air, something Leela could not pinpoint.

"It's getting near." Okku breathed: "We are getting very close…"

The passage soon widened. Soon the cliff opened up and revealed another small glade. Surrounded by springs, a small island situated in the middle of the opening. Mist draped heavily in the air here, even more so then the Hill Tribe village they had just been through. The air genasi smacked her lips together, tasting the spray in the air. This might be the deepest part of the Wells, as there were no human tracks around them.

"Over there." The telthor bear god tilted his head sideway, toward the center of the island. There stood three very faint, almost transparent figures. Shimmering in silver light, the bear spirits were a lot bigger than traveling companion.

And they did not seem pleased to see their descendent, not one bit.

"Chat-chat" One of the bear spirits spotted them first, his motionless face turning sarcastic: "Noble Kuma…venerable Wotomo… shake off your dreams, and _look_ who has come, with his head hung low in shame."

Okku was moved beyond words: "Ancestors…"

"Bah!" The bear growled: "Do not claim us as kin. Our blood ran _thin_ in your veins. And now it does not run at all."

"Okku, son of Koju…" The bear spirit named Wotomo strode forward and glared at them: "Do you remember this place as well? Enough to understand the _ruin_ you had made?"

"Right…non clan member here?" Leela cleared her throat: "Some introduction, please?"

"They were…my ancestors" The telthor bear sighed: "Elders of my kind. And Wotomo is—"

"His grandfather," Wotomo grunted displeasingly: "In truth. I am the one who sired Okku's father... though my son's spirit has passed to Bhalla's golden woods, and he bathes in these pools no more. Better that your father is gone, Okku... " His eyes were glowing with fury: "That way he does not know how you led your race to ruin!"

The other bear spirit who spoke to them with such a despise earlier pushed Wotomo aside slightly and growled at them: "Have you not _looked_ for your kin? Have you not _wondered_ where they've gone? Or does this monster who holds your leash not _permit_ you such thoughts?"

"What—" Leela cast a glance at Okku, who had shock and disbelief written all over his face, before drew a deep breath: "…Honoured ancestors…let me put it this way...if Okku here has committed some crime, at least allow him to defend himself."

"Well said. " Safiya nodded.

"Indeed." Kaelyn agreed.

"It's only fair." Gannayev folded his arms.

"You see?" Okku turned to his ancestors: "She is no monster. We will end this curse, and—"

His words once again were cut short by the elder bear's thunderous roar: "Do you remember the right on the ice, grandson? How you led your clan against the eater of spirits?"

"The frozen lake?" The telthor spirit frowned: "Yes, I dreamed of this. Those memories were strong in my mind, when I laid down in my barrow to die."

"Humph…I believe Okku told me once," Leela rubbed her chin: "he fought the previous spirit-eater, and the man spared his life."

"My grandson's wounds were deep." Wotomo sighed: " His spirit bled... and faded..."

"He should have come to the Wells to die, venerable Wotomo!" The other elder bear growled again: "Just as our law commands! The Queen of Talking Beasts would have judged his soul, and freed him from his oath. But Okku chose his oath above our law. He brought the monster to our sacred barrow... to the chamber that was meant for him!"

"When was this?" The air genasi frowned: "When was this event taken place, Okku?"

"Before your time, little one." The telthor bear god sighed: "I remembered how spirit-eater traced runes upon the stones—the same runes you saw when you were awoke…when he died, the hunger fled his corpse…"

"The skeleton," Safiya nudged the druid's arm: "there were this skeleton in the runes circle, next to you when you woke up…."

"That was the…the spirit-eater before me?" Leela raised her snowy eyebrow.

"Yes, the curse was trapped by the runes. Our theory was as long as it was trapped, the hunger could not pass to another. For a while, it seemed to work…" Okku nodded his head.

"Yeah, little did they expected there would be someone who placed our lovely lady here straight in to those runes." Gannayev smirked.

"My grandson would have you think that he made a noble sacrifice, spirit-eater." Wotomo opened his mouth again: "But he knew that he would _doom _his race. Our barrow is a sacred place... a wellspring of dreams. It was poisoned by the _monster_ that was trapped within... and our entire race went_ mad_. They perished as wild, slavering brutes."

"Wait…" The air genasi tabbed her temple: "Let me get this straight, Okku, your descendant here, did something to end the curse, and you lot reckoned he disgraced the race?"

"Do not waste our time to those dusted bones, Leela." Okku snorted: "I do not need to explain my reason to petty, vengeful ghosts. They _lured _me here, lying in wait, no better than mortal men in the skins of beasts—."

"Whatever your reasons" Wotomo's thundering voice echoed through the glade again: "Okku, son of Koju… you must answer for the death of our race. So say _all_ the elders." And with that, all three elder spirits around them hunched their back, readied to lash out at any moment.

"Wait." The druid raised her hand: "This is a bit…unfair. Don't you think? What would _you _have done?"

"What?" Wotomo's face puzzled.

"What would you have done, should you in his shoes?" Leela arched her eyebrow and demanded: "You'd rather allow the curse to continue existing and devour more innocent spirits? All that for your race? How noble of you."

"How dare you! We…we would not…" Okku's great grandfather stuttered.

"Don't waste your breath, Leela." Okku snorted: "They are _old_. Once they dreamed of wind, blood, and sky. Now all they do was chatter like apes, and bicker over laws."

Somehow the telthor bear god's words seemed shaken the elders. They gaped at him in totally astonishment and did not speak any word for quite some time. At one stage, one of them stepped forward, attempting to say something, but the other two immediately pulled him back.

"I think…" After another long pause, Wotomo approached Leela again and tilted his head sideways thoughtfully. He seemed to be weighing his words with great caution: " My grandson is correct… I…we…we have lingered too long without flesh or fur. Our minds are full of _words_ instead of dreams. I suggest letting Okku find peace in his own way, if he can."

The telthor god seemed greatly relieved by the announcement.

"However," His grandfather looked at them sternly, as the other two elder bears' transparent bodies began to fade: " do not look for us again, son of my son. Your decision doomed our race, and so, your race must be lost to you. Now and always."

And with that, he was gone, too.

"Farewell, my ancestors…" Okku looked at the stars above and murmured.

They decided to camp there for the night. As Kaelyn and Safiya prepared their supper, Leela cautiously approached the pools and inspected them. Mists lingered in the openings still. Under the clear blue moon, the surface shimmered like black glass. Soft whispers of ripples and splashes filled her ears. Yet somehow there were others. Other voices, hidden behind it all, threatening to burst through. Baying of a great bear? Howling of the wolf? She could never decide. She leaned closer to the water, but was still unable to tell.

"Intriguing, isn't it?" Gannayev's lilting voice almost made the air genasi jump: "I suppose you can sense it, too?"

"What are…What are those?" Asked the druid.

She turned her head around and met the blue hagspawn's eyes directly. Suddenly the image of them kissing in the snow flashed through her mind so vividly, she nearly cried out in surprise. Her hand quietly rolled into fist. She steadied her breath and watched as the dreamwalker strode across the distance between them, while trying her best to keep her expression and stirring emotions neutral. His lean and toned figure stopped at the small edge next to her, tilting his head and also studying the pools.

"Those elders wouldn't pick it for no reason." Said Gannayev thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. The nearby firelight illuminated his handsome face: "This place is ancient and sacred, to beast that possesses awareness of themselves and their consciousness…like some human do. They are gone now, of course, but their spirits and memories remain. These memories, these fragments of their waking dreams can still be seen, like ripples on the surface of the water... while others swim deep in the undertow of the pools here."

"Wha—what kind of memories?" Leela cleared her throat.

"Battle, blood, death…sleep, comfort, life… mating." Whether the dreamwalker saw her uneasiness or not, Leela couldn't tell: "Their dreams were not different from yours or mine, though some of their senses were keener."

"Oh." Said the air genasi.

"They bathed in these wells, and as it smoothed them, it also mirrored their feelings and thoughts." Gannayev's gazed fell back to the rippling waters again.

"Their feelings and thoughts." The druid arched her eyebrow: "What are they?"

"You can't see them." Replid the blue hagspawn: "Not with the eyes with which you see the world—but the Dreamer's Eye, perhaps. You would have to drink from the pools, however. And they will not show you only the memories of beasts—it may cut into your subconscious as well, though that may serve as an improvement..." He looked up and toward Leela again: "You are thinking of going?"

"Yes." Nodded the druid.

"Reckon you can find some answers to that curse of yours?" The dreamwalker tilted his head: "Perhaps, if you wish, I can come with you? As well as here and in your dreams, I can help you sort and channel any rush of images that occur. Like an Anchor, if you will."

The air genasi looked back at him, and for a while, she said nothing. A thousand thoughts flickered through her mind. In one hand, she craved to be alone with him, on the other, she was afraid should the situation in Ashenwood happen again, if she had the strength to resist him…

"I won't do anything rash, if that's why you are hesitating." As if reading her thought, Gannayev smiled, a bit sadly: "Wander around in the dreamscape is a serious matter. Should anything go wrong, your soul may not return as a whole. I just offer my assistance, as I am a dreamwalker, after all."

Leela stared down at the pools again. Other than the sound of babbling water and distance chatter of her companions, it was a quiet night. The blue hagspawn was correct. It was indeed quite dangerous in dreams, judging by the only experience she had so far…

"Alright." After a while, she looked up into the night sky and sighed deeply: "I'd like you to come with me into the dreamscape."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N** Chapter 40, another 10 chapters' gone.

Thanks for those who still following my story. Your kind visit/review are most appreciated.

* * *

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty – The old man and the boy**

The familiar mildew and damp air filled her nose before her eyes got used to the dim light around her. In the distance, the sound of dripping water echoed through the cave. She reached out her hand, feeling the coolness and the wetness of the stone. Shivers run down her spine. This…this was too familiar.

"The Barrow." The air genasi murmured.

"Where you woke up." Gannayev's voice rose next to her. She looked over her shoulder, and saw the blue hagspawn curiously inspecting the cavern: "Humph… intriguing where dreamscape take us sometimes, no?"

"I have no idea why we are here." Said the druid absent-mindedly, looking at her surroundings. The glowworm's glow was barely there; she couldn't even see her fingers clearly. She carefully took one step, and felt the crackling sound under her feet—the tunnel was scattered with bones. She could not recall ever being to this part the last time she was here. But then again, she was in the hurry to get out of the cave with Safiya…

"Perhaps, like the dream you previously had, we are here for a reason?" The dreamwalker rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What, you reckon you will see the lady in red again?" Leela arched her eyebrow.

" Let's find out, shall we, my sweet?" The blue hagspawn smirked: "Perhaps she will give us another present this time?"

The light seemed to be brighter ahead. With caution, they carefully traipsed forward. Leela suddenly become aware of Gannayev 's gloved hand clamped onto hers. She tried to wiggle it off without a glitch, but resulted in the blue hagspawn's grasp tightening. The air genasi blushed, hoping the dreamwalker wouldn't see it under the poor light.

"Humph." Gannayev stopped, his head tilted sideway, trying to listen to the sound beyond the dripping water: "There is someone, or something, in this place as well. And I am pretty certain it won't be Okku. Consider what we had encountered last time we were in dreamscape…be on your guard."

The druid drew out her Ice Maiden wordlessly. As they approached the corner, a hooded figure abruptly emerged from the shadow.

"Leela? Is that you?" The figure removed his hood and revealed to be an old man. Time had carved many lines on his aged face. His hair was completely white: "I feared you'd come too late, or not at all. I've _found_ something... kept it safe for many long years. But the Faceless Man may be close on your heels. We need to make haste."

"Friend of yours?" Gannayev gave the air genasi an arched eyebrow.

"No, he's not." The druid was completely bewildered. She certainly did not remember ever encountered this person in her life: "Should I know you, old one?"

"Surely not." The old man smiled, pulling wrinkles on his face: "I died before you first drew breath. I fear that I am little more than an echo... a memory of what was. Now," He beckoned them forward: "If you please…follow me quickly."

"He seems harmless." Gannayev whispered to the air genasi: "I suggest we follow."

"Are you certain?" The former Knight Captian still not quite ready to lower her guard.

"I didn't become a dreamwalker just yesterday." The blue hagspawn winked: "He's save. Don't' worry, my sweetling."

They followed the old man down the winding cavern maze. The light was getting brighter, eventually revealed to be a small fire near a makeshift campsite. Leela paused slightly as they moved past it. She was now pretty aware where the old man was leading them.

"Wait…" She hesitated, uncertain whether revisited that stone rune circle was a good idea: "You are taking me to…to…"

"There is no need to worry, Leela." The old man stopped at the entrance and pointed at the center of the circle inside: "Look."

Leela squinted her eyes and looked toward the darkness. Among the mist of old, foul air that lingered within the rune cavern, the air genasi saw a small figure standing in the center of where she once laid, after being removed of her shard and abandoned. He wore the simplest, slightly battered clothes. From the druid's distance, she could not tell who that person was.

"…There is someone in there." She remarked.

"Indeed." Gannayev leaned closer, also looking into the cavern. So close, Leela could smell the hint of pine emitting from his breath: "A boy, from the looks of it."

The air genasi once again felt heat rush up her face. She turned toward the old man again, trying to distract herself from the…uneasiness.

"He created all you see here." The old man gave them a toothless grin: "— or it formed about him like an island, a hidden fortress in a limbo of dream. I only drifted here by chance." He looked around: "These caverns came later, after I arrived. This sanctuary... somehow reshaped itself for me. What little remains of me, that is."

"Who is in there?" The druid asked.

"A remnant, perhaps. A piece of a larger whole." The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully: "There were many such remnants once, but the hunger has gradually devoured them all. I have come to believe that he is a memory, like me…or a previous Spirit Eater…or of something that came before."

"That boy is a Spirit Eater?" Leela gasped.

"You haven't told us your name, old one." Gannayev arched his eyebrow.

"Is that really important?" The old man smiled: "Alas, I no longer know my name. Once you step into this realm, your name no longer matters. You are," He paused: "you are the reason why I am here."

"Huh?" The druid frowned.

"Allow me to reshape my words more clearly." The old man inclined his head: "I know your path, as I once walked it myself."

"You are a Spirit Eater." Leela concluded.

"In life, yes." The old man stroked his white beard: "In death, I am little more than a memory, though I'm not certain _whose_. We are discarded, we who bear the hunger. One after another, we are used up, burned out. But the hunger lives on, and passes to another."

"The curse continues." Said Gannayev.

"I tried to break the chain." Continued the old man: "But the proof of my failure is standing here before me. What I never did was look within. I never thought to learn what the hunger truly was."

"Wait." The druid raised her hand: "You…you are the Spirit Eater Okku was talking about. The Spirit Eater who spared his life."

"He remembered me, did he?" The old man sighed: "Lord Okku swore an oath when I spared his life, on the shifting floes of Tirulag... swore it in that hell of cracking ice and screaming, drowning beasts. He would help me end my curse, whatever the cost to himself or his tribe. His barrow would become my tomb, and he my guardian, that no mortal should go near my corpse. And when the hunger fled my remains, it would find no new face... no new mask... to hide behind. You must say it was a brilliant plan. And as far as I know, it worked…for a time.

Leela stared at the old man. She suddenly remembered the last dreamscape she entered, the fragment of a mask of somewhat she had received from the woman in Red.

"So the hunger passes to a new 'mask' upon the death of the previous spirit-eater?" She wondered out loud.

"Even as I stood over the corpse of that slavering madman." The old man looked at her sadly: "The one who bore the hunger before me…I felt it enter me. And I remembered nothing more, for a while. When I awoke, I felt the _stirring_ inside me…I knew straight away what I had become. You know it well, do you not?"

Chills shivered down the air genais' spine. Of course she knew. The constant restlessness inside her, the whispers, the emptiness, the nibbling hunger, the rush of satisfaction when devouring a spirit, the immediate shame that followed…for the first time, she felt like someone who finally peeked into her soul and understood her struggle. Someone had been through what she had gone through, it felt… good.

"You…you know?" She stuttered.

"Of course I do, child." The old man looked at her with sorrow and sympathy.

"…That boy in there…" Leela glanced toward the entrance of the cavern again: "Can…do you think he can help me to…to restrain my hunger?"

The old man grinned: "Not directly, perhaps. But he may help reveal its nature... and from such knowledge might come mastery."

"Suppose there's no hurt to talk to him, don't you think?" Gannayev chew his lower lip.

"Suppose not." The air genasi looked into the cavern again.

"Before you step forward," The old man called out, as they were about to enter the rune cavern: "you must forgive an old fool. I set wards to guard the chamber, when I was far stronger than I am now."

"There is something else in there, you mean." Leela placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Beast awaits you there." The old man looked at them apologetically: "spun from your own darkest memories. Dreams they may be, but if you are slain, you may never find your way to us again."

They stepped down the slope leaded them to the rune cavern. As soon as they were near the rune pillars, the carvings on the stones lightened up and three shadow figures erected from the ground. Shimmering in ghastly blue light, the leader of the pack glared at them with greed and hatred. Its skeletal jaw opened and snarled the hair lifting noise.

"Good gods." Leela unsheathed her sword: "Shadow Reaver."

The minions lashed out first, attacking the two with brute force. The air genasi dived away, her free hand reach for her katana and immediately hit toward the nearest shadow, while her Ice Maiden headed directly at the Shadow Reaver. The latter laughed and slid away with ease, while its prawn was hit by the blade and let out a high-pitched shriek. The druid rolled and landed behind one of the rune pillars.

"But not Black Garius, cha-cha." The corner of her mouth curled up: "Nor the King of Shadows. Afraid? Don't think so."

Nearby, Gannayev cast Firewall to trap one of the shadows in the corner. The evil being's red glowy eyes glared at him with anger, its long claws reached out and tried to hit the dreamwalker.

"Those shady thing." The blue hagspawn smirked: "Funny how I've seen them so many times and finally get to meet them."

The Shadow Reaver caste some unknown spell at Leela. She turned and docked away the attack again. The air genasi leaped, her body arched beautifully as her blades synched deep within the dark smoky cloud. The dark creature screamed, and evaporated into thin air. The druid pulled out her blades, dug her heel, sprung, and sank her weapon deep into the upper arms of another being. The Shadow stumbled back, and was dispersed within seconds by Gannayev close by.

Both of them straightened themselves up, patted away the dust on their armor and turned their heads toward the remaining Shadow Reaver in the cavern. They charged forward in unison, weapons raised and fell in perfect sync. The Undead creature fired few spells continuously at them, but all narrowly missing the crucial spots. It snarled, charged at them again with physical attacks. They leaped and fended them off in fluid motion. It didn't take long for the being to be defeated. When the beast fell under their feet and crumbled into pieces, Gannayev and Leela barely glanced toward each other, eyes filled with sense of understanding and pride.

"Now," Leela flashed the blue hagspawn a small smile before turning her attention to the center of the rune circle. The mist had once again cloaked around them, only the glowing mushroom and shimmering carvings on the pillar lightening the cave: " The boy."

Standing alone in the dark space with strange marking on the stones around him, the child did not seem to show any sign of fear, nor stirred about the fight just happened in front of him. He barely stared at them with the pair of innocent eyes, and his face beamed as soon as he noticed they drew near.

"Greetings." He inclined his head.

"Do you remember me, child?" The old man's hoarsely voice piped up over their shoulder. The druid turned around slightly, and saw him also entered the cavern: "I brought someone to meet you."

The boy tilted his head and stared at the guest in front of him for some time, and turned his gaze back to the old man again. He did not seem to register about the question. His polite smile remained.

"Have you seen my brother?" His bright eyes faltered slightly: "I think…I think he had forgotten me."

"Your brother?" Leela arched her snowy eyebrow.

"The priests call him Akachi." Said the boy: "He says it's an eastern name - we all get them, when we're given to the church. I'm called Eveshi. But when the priests aren't listening, my brother calls me Ahrraman."

"Ahrraman?" Gannayev seemed to recognise the name: "Now I've heard of that before. It's—."

"'Ahrraman'" Mumbled the old man, finished the dreamwalker's unspoken sentence: "…the word for 'laughter' in the old Mulan tongue."

"Oh, you know?" The boy's smiled deepened: "My brother says I laugh enough for the both of us. He always says I will never make a good priest, because I can't stop giggling during service."

"A priest?" The air genasi kneeled down and looked at the small child: "You want to be a priest?"

"We don't have a choice." The boy sucked his thumb: "The town gave us to Myrkul's church, to be his wards, and to make him smile on our people. My brother... I know he'll make a better priest than me."

"Now that's something I don't know." The old man was surprised: "He usually just asked me about his brother's whereabouts."

"You seemed nice." The boy looked at the druid thoughtfully, before tugging her sleeve: "Here, a present for you."

He slipped something into the palm of Leela's hand. The air genais instinctively extracted her fingers and wrapped them around the item. Its sharp edges stung her hand slightly. She lowered her gaze to look at what was inside her hand. To her surprise, it was something the druid was quite familiar—it was another mask fragment.

"A piece of mask?" The old man's eyebrow shot up: "Now that's really surprising, indeed. He never offered me anything remotely close to this."

"Another fragment?" Gannayev looked at the piece thoughtfully: " Just like the last one you get. I wonder if it can also exist outside the dream."

"Thank you." The druid smiled toward the boy: "…How do I use it?"

"We _are_ what we remember…what we dream. Nothing is _gone_ while pieces still remain." The boy suddenly blurt out: "This is the piece that is _me_. But I am only a part…a part of a whole…"

The whole cavern became blurry. The wind began to whirl around them. It looked like they were about to wake up. Desperately, Leela grasped the boy's hand, trying to find another question that spawned inside her head.

"Wait…that doesn't make any sense." She had to shout at the little boy at this stage as the wind made her voice a little harder to be heard: "Wait!"

"Leela!" Gannayev's hand found hers and clasped it tightly: "Time to go, my sweetling."

The Old Man was speaking excitedly now. But his words were drowned out…a rusting filled her ears, and the dream began to break apart. Suddenly both him and the boy disappeared out of sight. The air genasi saw nothing but darkness…


	41. Chapter 41

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–One – The Shore.**

"R—right." Leela folded her hands and inspected the floating corpse by the shore of Lake Mulsantir. It was so bloated; its facial feature was beyond recognition. Gods knew how long it have been soaking in the water: "Am I supposed to believe there was once a great Imaskari city here? Other than the dead bodies, a couple of wooden sticks, some lovely collapsed spire, and the stench that can kill a cow, I see bugger all."

"I am pretty sure I just spotted some tentacles surge up from the distance." Safiya grimaced: "And I shuddered to learn what they are

"It is there, sweetling." Gannayev sheltered his eyes with his hands and tried to look into the distance. His expression was serious.

"Then where are the hags?" The air genasi snapped: "Gods, those smells are killing me!".

"You are not the only one." Kalyn covered her nose: "This place reeks of evil and rot."

"Indeed." Okku nodded "I can smell rotting and corruption in the air - and it isn't you, Spirit-Eater. It is a stench of bloated corpses and twisted spirits."

"It's hard to believe that there is a lot of historical value here, isn't it?" Safiya looked around curiously "Well, let's assume the hags are very civilized lot and haven't pillaged and defaced everything."

"Oh, I doubt that." Gannayev rubbed the bridge of his nose: "At any rate, there is a city here, perhaps beneath the ebb and flow of waves?"

"Okay, aarm…" Leela arched her eyebrow and cocked her head toward the half chewed corpse near the wooden pole a few meters from them "I seriously don't think it is save for us to swim."

"Neither do I." Okku grunted.

"Wait for the nightfall, sweetling." The blue hagspawn drummed his fingers on the chin thoughtfully "I think… with the fall of night, it shall grant us a bridge."

"_You think_?" Safiya looked at the dreamwalker suspiciously "You've been here before?"

"I am a dreamwalker." Replied Gannayev simply.

"Gannayev?" Sensing hint of uneasiness in his tone, Leela glanced at him with worry.

"…Though I fear what that will bring us. We may not be the only petitioner at _this_ gate." The blue hagspawn murmured. His back was rigid and seemed terribly nervous. He continued to stare at the water for some time, before turning around and begining to pace around the sandy beach.

"Are you alright, Gannayev?" The druid frowned and concerned: "You sounded uneasy."

"Forgive me, "Gannayev came to a halt, turned his head around and looked at her rather sadly: "It is said one cannot go home again. But for me, this is the first time."

"This is your home?" Leela's eyes widened in surprise: "I thought you grew up among the spirits in the forest?"

"I grew up in the forest, yes." Gannayev explained: "However, it was my mother who abandoned me there. This," He pointed at the lake "This place…this is where I was born. I have walked to this place many times in my dreams. To be here, in the waking world, it is a little unsettling."

"Gann," The air genasi slowly approached the dreamwalker and gently tugged Gannayev's sleeve. The blue hagspawn was not himself. His usual jokes and joyful exteriors were gone, instead there was ...fear, a reluctant expression on his face "Don't forget you are not going in alone this time."

Gannayev seemed suddenly to be jerked awake and he turned his gaze at her. His blue eyes were glittering with warmth and tender emotions. For a moment, she was sure the dreamwalker was about to raise his hand and touch her face. But he simply looked at her, hands rolled into fists, before snapping his eyes shut, inhaling and letting out a sigh.

"Thank…thank you, Leela." He slowly opened his eyes again and smiled slightly "To be honest, I am bloody terrified, and little else in waking world has ever caused me such trepidation. But…I shall persevere, do not worry…by blade and spell, I shall back you."

"Are you sure, Gannayev?" asked Leela.

"Yes." Gannayev's attentions were back to the water again: "I have only seen this place in dreams, so I am almost as much a stranger to its waters and its entrance as you. But something tells me that nightfall will come with its own clues."

"You reckon?" Okku arched his eyebrow.

"We can only hope." Kaelyn shook her head: "Otherwise, with only me having wings, carrying all of you guys over will be a hideous task."

"Well, let's find some shelter to rest," The air genasi clapped her hands together "and wait for the nightfall, aye? I am not intending to stand in the sun all day."

She and the others turned around and looking for a decent place to spend the day. They managed to find an upwind spot where the rotten smells weren't as strong as at the waterfront. Safiya took out some bread and handed it out to the others (no one was in the mood of eating any salted meat at that point and time). The druid lowered her shoulder to let the spider down.

"Go find some food." She chuckled: "I am sure you will have a lovely feast. What? When did you stop eating rotten meat? Wasn't that what you were having when I first met you?"

"Fluffy became picky?" Gannayev's lilting voice came from her back: "Since when?"

"I think I might have spoiled him" Leela grinned shyly as she rubbed Fluffy's chin "Besides, those bodies do look yucky."

The blue hagspawn laughed, and was about to make other comments regarding the giant spider when they both heard the rustle from the nearby bushes and the thudding sounds of the shoes stepping on the sands. Within seconds, a haggard looking fisherman appeared on the path and heading toward them. Carrying fishing net and a rather large wicker basket with him, He was smiling almost from ear to ear, the bald man sported one of the longest mustaches anyone had ever seen.

"G'Day, mate." The fisherman nodded: "Welcome to the middle of nowhere. If you came for the fishing, you will be sorely disappointed. He-he."

"We are not here for the fishing." Said the druid politely.

"Just as well. You'll not catch any _fish_ in these waters. They don't even come out until night-time." The fisherman grinned.

"Well, then you can fish at night then." Safiya interjected.

"Arh-arh-arh," The man wagged his finger: "Far too dangerous. The last fisherman to own this gear wrote about it in his journal, which is still here."

"What happened to the last fisherman?" Asked the air genasi.

"Let's just say I caught him in my hook recently." The fisherman winked: "His journal here described his folly."

"Humph…" Leela folded her arms: "Look…what's your name again?"

"Oh, silly me! Apology for m manners here, mate." The fisherman inclined his head: "Thy name is Fentomy."

"Fentomy," The air genasi frowned: "if you are not here for the fish, why are you here?"

"Cha-cha." Fentomy burst out laughing: "Fishing is always good, even when the catching is bad. I come here every day, from dawn till dusk."

"Riddles…" The druid tabbed her temple and sighed: "right, good sir, I forgot to mention how much I hate riddles. You are not here for the fish, are you?"

"Ah ha. You're insightful, so I'll let you in on a little secret..." The fisherman leaned closer, showing his gold teeth: "There are things other than fish that can get caught on a hook or in a net. This particular place can yield many treasures to the patient."

"Oh?" Leela cocked one of her eyebrows up: "What so special about this place?"

Fentomy smiled gleefully: "Well, other than what I had just said, if the wind is blowing the right way and you listen closely, especially before dusk, you can hear faint sounds..."

The air genais glared at the fisherman suspiciously, before closing her eyes and listening. Sure enough, there were voices, though faint, coming through the mist lingering above the water, from the other side of the lakeshore, where a ruined building of some sort can be vaguely seen from their end. There were sounds of malicious laughter, followed by the painful cries and shrieks, before being drawn by the strong wind blew around the shore.

"Heard that, do ya?" Fentomy grinned, as he was the druid opened her eyes again: "That usually means there will soon be good fishing here."

"Oh-no." Cold shivers trickled down Leela's spine: "Please don't tell me you mean those corpses. You fish those corpses."

"Smart one," The fisherman laughed: "Whatever beings inhabit these ruins often dump their victims and other refuses in the Lake, and then the currents carry it within reach of my pole and net. As the last fisherman here discovered, it's far more lucrative than selling carp at the going rate of a copper per pound. Many floaters come with their coin purses still attached."

"Ewww." Safiya waved her hand in front of her.

"Smart mouth." Okku growled: "You do not smell like a fisherman of any kind at all to me. This one, " He turned to Leela: " Reeks of soil and feldspar—stuff of the earth."

"No, you are not fishing for the corpse, either." Gannayev narrowed his eyes and stared at Fentomy suspiciously: "Your gear, they haven't been used for ages. I do not spot any tear and wear on them. What are you? Perhaps the city is not the only thing cloaked in illusion in this place? Perhaps there is a greeter, a minder of the antechamber that welcomes petitioners such as we."

Leela gasped. And before she said anything to Fentomy, the fudge fisherman burst into roaring laughter. He laughed so hard; it startled several animals in the nearby bushes to flight.

"My, my, I must say you lot are the first smart ones I've been encountered for some time." He mused: "You are correct, this is not my true form. I am, in truth, a dao."

"Dao?" The air genasi arched her eyebrow: "A genie? What are you doing here?"

"I have no interest in deceiving you. When visiting more primitive worlds such as this, I typically adopt a form that will not alarm the indigenous inhabitants." Fentomy rested his hands on his waist belt: " Mistrust is a tool for survival. But it is not _I_ who happened upon _your_ secret fishing ground."

He turned his head around, shielded his hands above his eyes and stared at the sky above them: "The Sun is setting."

They all turned their head around and watch the glowing red orb slowly descending over the hill. The brilliant blue sky gradually turned magenta, and slowly fading to grey, before replacing by velvet cerulean draping with thousand stars and one silvery moon.

A small puff rapped near the shorefront and turned their attention back to the beach. They gapped as they all saw a portal erect where Fentomy first emerged not very long ago. The hug round rim gushed with black smoke and hummed in a low buzzing sound.

"A Portal." Leela murmured.

"What did I tell you guys, aye?" The corner of Gannayev's mouth curled up slightly: "A gateway to Shadow Realm."

"Will you be feeling more comfortable now," Safiya approached the portal and tentatively poking her fingers at the black mist: " that we are going to the Shadow Realm version's Sunken City?"

"Much better, but the uncertainty and the creepy feeling still remain." The blue hagspawn rubbed his chin: "After all, my journey to this place usually stopped at the gate, along with other petitioners in the past."

Each of them stepped through the portal. As soon as the last of them came past the device, they saw a strangely dressed man stood not very far from the group, with a smile looked strikingly familiar. He looked no bigger than a gnome.

"Arh," He grinned: "Glad you made it. I knew your lot weren't the average beach-combing adventure."

"Huh?" Leela frowned: "Do I know you?"

"Do you recall the fisherman on the beach when you first arrived in Lakeshore?" The strange man pointed at his nose: " I am he."

"Fentomy, the dao who past his time fishing at a remote place?" Safiya arched her tattooed eyebrow.

"Fascinating sense of humor you are having there, milady?" Fentomy laughed: "If you know the dao, then you are aware of our deep connection to the earth. Personally, I love plucking things from the water to the ground. Call me eccentric, but I consider this is a small victory against the Elemental Plane of Water."

"In another word, you are looking for a slave." Okku grunted: "A very colorful way of interpreting your motive."

"I do not tolerate slavery." The air genasi looked at the dao warningly.

"Me either." Gannayev tilted his chin higher.

"Nor do I, wretched spirit." Okku growl at Fentomy: "I should liberate your head from your shoulders and free you of your foolish beliefs."

"Our leader speaks for me, as well." Kaelyn narrowed her eyes: "Indeed, you are not wise to talk of such things in my presence, dao."

"Please!" The dao shrugged: "Slavery is such a distasteful descriptor, don't you think? And not appropriate in this case, either. Is the weapon you wield a slave to you?"

All of them stared at Fentomy in bewilderment.

"Of course not." After a while, Safiya replied.

"You used an bad example here." The druid frowned: "An weapon is an inanimate object."

"Well," The dao arched his eyebrow: "What about the oxen, that hauled the materials used to create the weapon?"

"They are animals." Answered Leela hesitantly: "They have feelings."

"All right," Fentomy rolled his eyes: " consider the golems that stand guard over the tower of wizard who enchanted your weapons. Are they slaves?"

"I can't condone the use of golems." Commented the air genasi: "Is this conversation going anywhere? Or are you start talking in riddle again?"

"I have a little…problem here." The dao smiled: "There are these…things. Things hidden in the depths of the ruins you are about to enter. I need them to return to the Elemental Plane of Earth, so I can capture those things. Since that ruin is in the middle of the lake…"

"And you are scared of the water." The corner of the druid's mouth curled up.

"I swear I will pay well!" Shrieked Fentomy.

"It's not about the paid, dao." Leela sighed: "Good day, Fentomy."

And with that, she quickly pushed past the dao and stepped onto the wooden bridge. Others soon followed, leaving the yelling and screaming Elemental creature behind.

"Nicely done." Safiya whispered to Leela.

"Catch a slave for some slave hunter, not in this lifetime." The air genasi muttered. She heard Gannayev nearby chuckled, and tried to cover it up with a loud cough. She blushed a little, before purposely quickened her stepped across the bridge.

On the other side of the bridge, there was a rather large crowd of people standing around, seemed like waiting for something. The druid exchanged confused look with her companions.

"Petitioners." The blue hagspawn leaned toward Leela and explained in low tone: "Those who also want to see the hags..."

"Arh." The air genasi nodded, and pointed at the hideous looking giant creature by the large entrance to the ruin: "And those?"

Gannayev merely took a glance at them and sighed.

"What?" The druid puzzled.

"Those," The dreamwalker shook his head: "those are hagspawns."

"They what?" Leela's eyes widened.

"Hagspawn." Gannayev replied with shame "they are my kind."


	42. Chapter 42

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Two – The Back Passage.**

Leela rubbed her temple, trying to contain the throbbing pain tremor through her skull. The nagging hunger had returned. She had quietly cast the refraining spell the hathran had given her in Ashenwood a few times now, had secretly hoped the craving wouldn't manifest to the horrific level by the time they actually entered the ruin. The air genasi sighed, and looked at the guards in front of them with annoyance.

"I am sorry, you two will have to enlighten me. What exactly do you want us to do again?" Said the druid.

The two brute looking hagspawns guarding the door did not respond, instead they were roaring with laughter and made the most ridiculous gagging sounds she had ever heard in her life. Slab with muscle, those two kinsmen were enormous and looked nothing like Gannayev. Their eyes were about the size of duck eggs, bloodshot, bulged outward, like they were about to fall out from the sockets, and usually not pointing at the same directions. Their snot was short and round, the air genasi had to pretend to look at their jarred canine teeth in order to prevent herself from feeling sick when their nostrils were flaring. Their mouths could not clamp shot properly, causing them constantly dribbling. Their whole bodies were covered with grease, and scent of rotten fish kept emitting from their breath. It was no wonder why those petitioners were at least a mile away from the door.

And they were green, not blue, like Gannayev.

Some kinsmen.

"Get rid of those petitioners without snapping them, or pay you gold?" Safiya's brows nearly shot up as high as her forehead: "I cannot believe what I've just heard."

"There is nothing wrong with gold." The hagspawn guard named Turlok sniggered: "They make fantastic sound in the pocket! And we do need some breathing space here, you see. Clearing this area up will be incredibly awesome!"

"Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!" His fellow kinsman Mulv roared.

"I bet." Gannayev arched his brow and crossed his arms.

"Gold, Gold, Gold…" Mulv chanted enthusiastically and now waved his spike club about. He seemed to be less intelligent than his fellow guardsman. Apparently his mother repeatedly dropped him when he was still in infancy, to see if he could 'bounce'. Which wasn't exactly uncommon by the look of it, according to Gannayev, given the hags weren't exactly known to have strong mother instinct.

"Jolly good." Okku grunted: "Like we have plenty of gold lying about in our bags."

"Or time to play mind games with those petitioners." Safiya rolled her eyes.

Leela took a deep breath: "We will need some…time to consider this. Back to you in a moment."

"Take your time, lovey!" Turlok and Mulv taunted as they stepped away: "Take all the time you need!"

"Sorry," Gannayev apologised: "I feel I must justify the sealing of my lips throughout your conversation with the guard. I do not enjoy conversing with other males of my species."

"I bet." Kaelyn shook her head.

The air genasi gimmicked and blurted out without thinking: "Speaking to you is way more pleasant."

"Why, thank you." The blue hagspawn first stared at her in surprise, before inclining his head, with glint in his eyes: "I, too, prefer speaking with you than others of my kind."

Heat rushed up to the druid's face. She stammered: "So…those were the male hagspawns."

"You seem surprised." The dreamwalker tilted his head and looked at her curiously. The corner of his mouth curled up.

"Yes, they look rather…. different than you are." Purposely ignored the meanings behind the hagspawn's words, Leela caste another look over her shoulder and shuddered.

"Indeed? We spawn of hags come in many shapes, sizes, and temperaments, much like the men and women of Rashemen." Gannayev shrugged: "While granted, I am breathtakingly handsome," He paused, and chuckled amusingly as Okku nearby rolled his eyes: "the footman you saw—he is a more common cut of face and build among us half-breeds."

"Why is that?" The air genasi frowned.

"I don't know really." The blue hagspawn seem puzzled for a moment: "I suspect I inherited the features of my father - and there is a certain awareness I carry that makes me wonder if dreaming shaped me. Not all spawns can walk in dreams as I do—in fact, I do not know of a one that can."

"At any rate." Kaelyn glanced at the two guards worriedly: "We still need to get inside. And by the looks of it, those two stubborn fools won't bulge."

"Can't we just…fight our way in?" Okku was very tempted.

"Very wise, " The dreamwalker laughed: "and have no strength left for whatever surprise party they threw at us inside? And not to mention we have something to ask those hags?"

"Arh! This is frustrating!" Safiya moaned with annoyance.

"M…mistress?" Kaji, who had been silently following them for some time, piped up hesitantly. The Red Wizard had let him out since arriving the Lake of Mulsantir, to let him 'breath some fresh air', just like what Leela did to Fluffy.

"What is it, Kaji?" The Thayan sighed.

"Ka…Kaji can solve the problem, mistress." Said the familiar in the small shaky voice.

"Huh?" Safiya frowned: "This is not the time to jest, Kaji."

"Kaji is not joking, mistress. Kaji knows mistress and her friend are trying to get inside. Kaji thinks…Kaji thinks he might have a way, mistress." Kaji stretched out his hand and unrolled his small fist. In his palm was a small golden key.

"Kaji…" Leela arched her brow: "What's this?"

"Kaji took it from the man by the beach, " The familiar caste the air genasi a small smile: "Kaji don't like the fancy dressed man talking about slaves and things. Kaji wanted to…do something to make him look bad. The man said he knew a way in…and this is the only thing, other than coins of course, Kaji find in his pocket, mistress. Kaji thought…thought it might be useful, mistress."

"Kaji, you are brilliant!" Gannayev clamped his hands around the familiar's shoulder and gave him a brief hug; promptly turn Kaji's face into the color of radish.

"How do we know if it still work?" Asked Okku suspiciously.

"There is no harm trying, I suppose." Kaelyn the Dove shrugged: "Obviously there is no way we can try this in the front door. Do you think there is another door somewhere around the back?"

"Back where?" The Telthor Bear God grunted: "There is nothing but moldy damp wall behind us, with the two most hideous trolls standing right in front of the only door I can see in a hundred meters. Unless you all suddenly very keen to get into the water below us and get past whatever monster dwells down there, I think this is the only door we've got!"

"Hagspawns, not trolls. And never say never, old grandpa bear." The dreamwalker wagged his finger: "Let's just…walk around the corner over…said there, to have a look, shall we?"

He strode off confidently around the corner. His tall figure merged into the dense mist. A series of muffled noises ensued. Within minutes he returned, with a smug smile on his face.

"I hate it when I am right." His eyes gleamed: "Over here, quietly. Don't want to disturb my two fellow kinsmen."

They quickly followed Gannayev around the corner. Sure enough, tugged in the shadow of the dampened stonewalls, was a small wooden door hidden behind drapes of climbing plants.

"And you said, grandpa bear?" The blue hagspawn chuckled.

"Nevermind, you son of the hag!" Okku snarled in low tone.

The metal cast and joints were rusty and slippery with moist. Leela removed the covering plants, quickly and carefully inserted the small key Kaji had just given them into the keyhole and turned. It took her a few tries to twist it smoothly. Finally, to her and everyone else's delight, they heard a small click.

"It worked!" She exclaimed quietly. She could hardly believe it.

"Well done, Kaji!" Safiya nuzzled her familiar's head, and the later beamed with pride.

"Now, here goes nothing." The druid placed her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath, before turning the handle.

Her hand slipped off. Cursing, she took out a small ragged cloth, wrapped around the knob again and turned. The door swung forward, revealing worn stone steps.

Leela let out a small gasp before leaning forward, trying to see through the thick darkness clustered at the end of the stairs.

"Heh, more dark tunnels than you can shake a stick at. What's down there, Gannayev?" Safiya cocked her head and trying her hardest to look into the shadows as well: "You've been here in your dream before."

"Alas, I only came as far as those petitioners at the front." Gannayev shrugged: "So I am as clueless as you are, about what's down there."

"Well, we won't know if you don't go there, won't we." Okku growled: "Let's go, shall we?"

The Red Wizard moved her lips and cast a small glowing orb following them as they were descending down the stairs. The dampness and smell of rotten flesh were thick. The sound of water dribbling became louder and louder as they moved down. By the time they reached the button of the roughen stairs; nearly every single one of them had slipped at least once.

"Now, I don't think this is the Slumbering Coven." Said Leela with a frown.

"No, this is not." Safiya replied: "This is the Skein. The sewerage beneath the Sunken City."

"Why, I am impressed." Gannayev whistled: "Your knowledge on this place had exceed my expectation."

"It's part of the old Imaskari Empire, we have them in our Academy's archive." The Red Wizard shrugged: "We've read about it since we were children."

"It appears to me that half of this place is soaked in the water." Kaelyn rubbed her chin thoughtfully: "To find a proper exit, we might need to walk around it. Any idea where the entrance to the level above might be?"

"Somewhere." The blue hagspawn sighed and stared at the half dim surroundings: "Let's hope it's not in the water." He cast a disgusted look at the corpse flowing in the water over the rail before moving on.

Cold water soaked through the old stone walls around them and slowly dripped down the moldy surface. The damp and stinking scent was so thick here, it nearly choked them. In the shadows, they could hear footsteps, screams and sighs echoed down the maze-like tunnels. The hair on the back of their neck stood up. This place gave them goosebumps.

"It's official, I hate dark spaces." Leela knuckled her eyes.

"Make the Barrows looks like heaven now, isn't it?" Okku chuckled.

Leela shook her head and continued their exploration. It was when they passed an archway they heard the whirling sound approaching.

"Air Elementals." The air genasi drew out her weapon, looked alarmed: "Weapons ready!"

The twirling wind turned around the corner. It was an Air Elemental. The creature certainly did not expect anyone wandering about the Skein with any kind of light source. It blinked, and stared at them in confusion before realizing it should attack. Leela's fingers crackled, several lightening bolts fired out and hit the Elemental square at the face. It staggered back, jerked at its wake, hissed, and launched itself at the air genasi aggressively.

A firewall suddenly erected before the Air Elemental, blocking its path. The creature snarled and sprung, just in time to see several purple magic arrows soaring in its direction. It shrieked, took another route around the fire and attacked Safiya instead. The Red Wizard dived aside, calling out meteor shower to attack the creature. Gannayev lashed out, his quaterstaff over his head and fell. Its blade hit the twirling wind and a loud roar slip out of the Elemental. The blue hagspawn turned and stepped in front of the being again, the tip of his blade slashing past its body.

The Elemental's shriek echoed throughout the dark archways. Its arms waved, sending the dreamwalker flying towards the nearby wall, his body bashing against the hard stones. Gannayev stumbled back to his feet, coughed, before looking up and his eyes searched for Leela.

The air genasi was around the creature, dashing and leaping away from its attack, while seizing opportunities to hit the Air Elementals. Her face was shimmering with sweat; her eyes were glittered with excitement and concentration. The Fire Wall spells wore off, the air genasi drew out her Drow bow Forever and began to shot fire arrows at the being. The whole archway was so bright; it was quite difficult to see anything beyond a few meters. Which was not particularly good, as the light attracted the others. Within minutes, they were surrounded by another Air Elementals, two Drows, and one Hag. All of them charged with maddened and bloodshot eyes. Safiya fired another round of Magic Arrows, while Kaelyn fluttered her wings and rose to the mid air, attacking them from above. Okku launched himself toward the drows and waved his powerful paws against the darklings.

"Fluffy!" The druid called out. The giant spider emerged from the shadows and came to its masters' aide. Several webs jerked out the tip of its rear end and promptly covered the hag with them, pinning her against the wall. The humanoid creature certainly wasn't pleased. She screamed and cursed, while writhing like mad, attempting to wiggle herself out of the tangles.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Gannayev curled his lips. The blue hagspawn picked up his staff threw it toward the hag. The weapon pierced through her chest. Dark blood gurgled out of her large mouth. Her body trembled for a few seconds before went limp.

It took them a while to clear off the surrounding hostilities.

"She could be your mother." Okku cocked his head toward the dead hag, still hanging on the wall by Fluffy's web. The giant spider was now waving its pincers, very keen to devour its latest prey.

"Oh, I doubt that, grandpa bear." The dreamwalker smirked.

"How do you know?" The telthor bear arched his brow.

"Because she doesn't feel like my mother." The blue hagspawn shrugged: "My memory of her, and those vague images I've encountered in the dreamscape, tells me this one is not."

"We better proceed before more of those wanderers find us." Leela secured her bow on her back, patted the dust on her leather armor and tugged her cloak slightly tighter: "Let's move on."

They once again carefully traipsed along the dark archway, listening to the sound of dark water and some unknown woman's murmurs echo through the infinite darkness.

The voice was there pretty much as soon as they entered the underground sewage. It was a hoarse, and high pitch shriek that made hairs on the back of the neck prickled.

_When they come, kill each one. When they die, stack 'em high. When I'm through, eat them too_.

"Did you hear that?" Kaelyn frowned and looked into the dark tunnel in disgust: "What the Nine Hells was that?"

"Some woman went mad, perhaps." Okku shrugged: "In a place like this, I don't blame her."

"It's _Gulk'aush_!" One of the human they were talking to suddenly drained of all colours.

""Wha—what?" Leela was bewildered.

However, the exiled humans seemed oblivious about their confusion. He began to tremble, and his weapon dropped onto the cold floor, causing a rather loud clang noise.

"It's…it's not the feeding time, is it not, brother?" He whispered to another human, who also seemed rooted on the spot and shook like trees in the storm.

"N…no, I don' think…think so." The other human's eyes widen with fear: "Her feeding time had come and gone a few hours go. The next one won't be here for some time…"

_Heh heh heh heh heh..._

"I…I think we better head back to our save hiding place." The human looked over his shoulder warily.

"Excellent notion there." His companion nodded: "If you excuse us, newcomer…"

"Wait…who's Gulk'aush?" Leela grabbed one of the human's arms.

"She's…a hag…the oldest of us here." Said the young man in shaky tone: "She's been here as long as any of us can remember."

"Always rambling some nonsense, she is." His friend chimed in: "Driven us mad, that voice, drill to our bones, nibble our ears! Arh, those screams!"

"And she feed on us, come out of her shelter every day," The human burst out a cry: "hunt us down, seek us out, and devour us, one by one, to the bone!"

_Bite off the bone, suck the marrow! Bite off the bone, suck the marrow!_

The two people refused to comment any further; they abandoned the party and scrambled away, disappeared into the pitch-dark corridor.

" Strange stuff." The air genasi shook her head: "It just some mad woman rambling."

"It could get to you after a while, a noise like that, in a place like this." Said Kaelyn the Dove thoughtfully.

"Humph…" Safiya wondered: "What does Gulk'aush mean though? I am not very familiar with hag-speak. It must mean something."

"…It means 'lawbreaker.'... or 'lover.'" Ganneyev, who had been unusually quiet since hearing the rambling riddle, answered in a unusual uneasiness in his tone.

Curious, Leela turned her head and looked at the blue hagspawn. Biting his lips, the dreamwalker looked bewildered and terrified, yet there was a faint hint of delight hidden behind his velvet blue eyes. His body was tense, and his hands rolled into fists. He stared into the dark water over the rail, with his brows tied into a deep knot.

"Gann?" The air genasi called out his name tentatively: "What is it?"

"That voice…" Gannayev swallowed and replied, a bit unsurely: "I've heard of that voice before…"

"What?" The druid arched her brow.

"I've hear of it, so many times, as I ventured in Slumbering Coven in my countless dreamscape escapades" The blue hagspawn shut his eyes tightly: "I…I suspect…"

"Suspect what?" Asked Leela.

"I suspect, this Gulk'aush," The dreamwalker opened his eyes and looked into the air genasi's. The druid felt her stomach tighten, her heart was on her throat: "is my mother."


	43. Chapter 43

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Three – The Skein**

_Someone was crying. _

_It was something that could not be easy to forget. A thorough sob from the heart, as the heart itself had been torn open and stamped on, filled with bitterness and heartache. As if all hope was gone, all that was left was regret and pain. There was no point of struggling._

"_No… no…my love…my love…"_

_Gannayev frowned. It was the voice that had been present in every single one of his dreams. The voice that was strangely familiar, but the blue hagspawn honestly could not recall where or when he heard it. It always hidden behind the mist hung around him. Several times, he reached out and tried to search for the source of the weeping voice, only to find it backed and drifted further away, away beyond his reach. _

"_Don't worry, son." Another male voice echoed through the fog: "They will not hurt papa. They are just going to have a little play—" _

_The male never finished his words, as a painful grunt always followed. _

_Malicious laughter sneaked up, filled with twisted and perverted joy._

"_PLAY! PLAY INDEED! WE ALWAYS PLAY BEFORE WE FEAST!" _

_More grunts resonated through the thick mist. Whoever the person was, he was in agony, and yet he tried to suppress the pain down, so it wouldn't show._

_Wouldn't show to whom? Gannayev was bewildered. Could that possibly be to him?_

_Then everything around him turned red. Panic, the dreamwalker tried to exit the dreamscape. It did not always work. There were times his mind dwelt on regardless how many times he willed himself to leave._

"_No…show us mercy! My love…my son…my love…MY SON!"_

* * *

"_Oh my love, my love. Your flesh stuck in my teeth, my love! You were too salty, too salty, my love. When I belch... I still smell your sweet perfume. My love..._

Gannayev opened his eyes and sat up abruptly. It took him a few seconds to register he was no longer in the dreamscape. He was lying on a bedroll and wrapped in a slightly moldy blanket. Around him were the usual traveling companions he had been traipsed around this part of Rashemen for some time. They were in a small empty chamber, with nothing but stack of moth infested clothes piled up at one corner. Okku leaned against the wall by the only entrance. His eyes half closed. But knowing the telthor bear god, the dramwalker bet his long hair the spirit was fully alert. Any slight movement outside would jerk him back in battle mode. Kaelyn the Dove and Safiya were snoozing soundly, with scrolls and books littered around their feet. They had discovered some rather strange Imaskari devices while they were tramping around the maze. The Red Wizard seemed to recognise it. She pulled out the ancient books she found down at the Burrows and tried to figure out how to activate the machinery, suspecting it might help them escape the Skein somehow. The half-celestial decided to help. The two of them spent quite some time after supper crunching at the corning, discussing the drawings they copied in hush tone, before their tiring bodies finally gave in.

The blue hagspawn turned, and saw Leela sit by the fire. Her elegant profile illuminated the light. She stared into the dancing flame, with her expression passive, mind clearly dwelt elsewhere.

Hearing the rustle of the fabric, the air genasi half-glanced over her shoulder. A small smile flew up at the corner of her mouth: "Visiting somewhere unpleasant?"

Gannayev quirked an eyebrow.

"You tossed around quite a bit." Her gaze was back to the fire again.

"No." The dreamwalker smiled wryly: "not a pleasant dream indeed. But since I've been visiting this one quite frequently, I suppose I shouldn't expect anything more."

"What was the dream about?" Asked the druid.

"A place covered with fog." The blue hagspawn shrugged, trying to play down the heavy feeling settled in his stomach: "There were voices, lots of them. Some were sneering, some crying, some trying to calm me down, while it was obviously in pain."

"Did you recognise those voices?" The air genasi dragged her rucksack over; sliding her hand in. She seemed to be searching for something for a while, before pulling out a wine bottle. She uncorked and peered inside the container, before gulping some of the contents down and handed it over to the dreamwalker.

"One of them…." Gannayev took over the bottle and thanked her: "I think was my mother. She was screaming and crying. Heart drenching sobs, I must say."

"Oh?" Leela tilted her head as he drank some wine from the bottle: "The same one that's been echoing around this maze?"

"Yes."

As if the voice was reading their mind. Suddenly they heard the throaty growl drifting down the dark passage again.

i Eyes shut, eyes not, I'm not, awake, asleep, asleep, a dream, a dream, a dream../i.

The air genasi humphed: "Who else did you recognise?"

"My father, I think." Gannayev tilted his head sideway: "I couldn't see how any of them looked like, though. Typical, isn't it?"

A small smile drifted toward the corner of the druid's mouth. She turned around and chucked another piece of driftwood into the fire.

"Then we must find the source of this rattling riddle, must we?" She said: "To confirm if this maddening hag is indeed your mother."

The dreamwalker nodded

Silence stretched between them. The blue hagspawn shifted uncomfortably. What should he say? Would now be a good time talking about the event in Ashenwood and farmer's house?

"Leela…" He cleared his throat.

Leela gave him an arched eyebrow.

"Nevermind." He lost his nerve.

The air genasi sighed and turned her gaze at the fire again.

A small hissing sound crackled in the shadows. A giant spider emerged, waving its pincers toward Gannayev, saying hi.

"Fluffy." Chorused the druid and the dreamwalker.

The Arachnid moved past the blue hagspawn and toward its master, rubbing its head against Leela's outstretched fingers affectionately, making pleased clicking sounds.

"Found anything interesting?" Asked the air genasi.

To her surprise, the spider nodded, and pushed forward a couple of crystal orbs.

"W—where did get these?" The druid's eyes were widened in surprise: "On your food? You mean from the dead bodies?"

"Those globes!" A excited squeak drifted from the corner. Gannayev turned his head around and saw Safiya was awake and stared at the orb in wonder.

"They look just like some of those globs on the top of those Imaskari devices! Well done fluffy!" She beamed.

"What are they for, if you don't mind telling us?" The blue hagspawn quirked one of his eyebrows.

"Oh, sorry." The Red Wizard blushed and scratched her head: "Well, according to those books we read, Kaelyn and I gathered if we need to activate those devices, we might need to collect some missing bits and pieces in order to repair it. The globe up top needs to be replenished if this device is to work again. I'd imagine fresh blood catalyzed by the essence of an air elemental would generate the magical resonance needed."

"Fresh Blood?" Okku's brooding grunted interjected their discussion: "Where in Rashemen are you going to get fresh blood in this damn place? Look at those corpses, they are anything but 'flesh'!"

"We can always use some of those we just killed." Safiya shrugged.

"What, killing them so we can get their blood?" Gannayev's eyebrow shot up: "How very civilized you are!"

"No. I mean just bring those crystal balls with us and next time we encounter some hostiles charging at us, we can use their blood after we kill them." Explained the Red Wizard.

"Only those blood won't work." Kaelyn's head emerged from the crumbled blanket: "You will need a catalyst, which Safiya and I haven't figure out what that is yet, to make the device work."

"A catalyst?" Leela frowned.

Safiya dived back to the piles in the corner and sieved through the books and scrolls again, eventually read one of the passage out loud in some syllables the air genasi had no idea what it meant.

"Arh… care to translate that?" The druid was completely bewildered.

"I think…I think it means we need some kind of essence from the air elementals." The Red Wizard put down the book.

"Essence? And you think they are going to give it to us if we ask them nicely, do you?" Gannayev chuckled: "So far I haven't seen any one of them not charging at us with red eyes. It seems it had never crossed their mind sitting down having a lovely chat is good for all of our health."

"Well, we can always check if they drop something after the fight, I suppose." Kaelyn sighed.

"Jolly good. Now not only we have to march through those pleasant passageway, purposely looking for someone to kill, now we have to mangle with those elementals, too?" Okku growled: "What a wonderful and exciting adventure we have down here!"

"You know what, grandpa bear? For once I am totally agreed with you!" The blue hagspawn shook his head.

"While we are at it," Safiya seemed totally oblivious to the mockery: "We might find something to fix the missing lever some of those device seemed lack. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Yes, if we don't have to hear that maddening rattles every five minutes." Okku grunted.

_No dreams, no nightmares! Ah ha ha ha ha!_

"What can I say." The dreamwalker smirked: "My mother has a very lovely sense of humor."

They packed up and continued on their journey through the passageway. It didn't take them long to collect the blood they need. To collect the catalyst from air elementals, however, was different matter.

"It dropped nothing!" Okku growled after another the creature evaporated into the thin air: "Goodness, this is maddening!"

"I am out of my element." Leela darted her gaze upward: "other than those glittering dust, there is absolutely nothing this damned creature left!"

"…Actually, those dust might be what we are looking for." Said Kaelyn thoughtfully.

"What?" The air genasi was surprised: "This?"

"Give us a look." Safiya stumbled forward and kneeled onto the floor, her fingertips gingerly touching the powder-like sparkles. The dust gleamed. A surge of energy visibly shuddered through the Red Wizard's small body.

"I think you are right, Kaelyn." The Wizard of Thay beamed: "This is it—the catalyst we are looking for."

"This?" Leela kneeled next to Safiya and inspected the powder much more closely: "Are you sure?"

"I am certain." Grinn the Red Wizard.

"Okay, how do we get that into the crystal?" Gannayev quirked one of his brows.

"Easy." The Thayan smiled confidently. She waved her hand and muttered some unknown syllable. In a instant the glittering power scattered on the floor all raised to the mid air and moved across toward the sphere. Like how they absorbing the flesh blood, the powder were sucked in as soon as they touched the orb.

"Now all we need is to locate the missing lever." Okku scanned the passageway: "I swear I've seen one just a moment ago…"

They searched the maze again, and miraculously found one of the device had lever attached in one of the empty room.

"Perhaps we should try this one first." Said Leela with hands rested on her waist, looking up at the ancient mechanic device.

"Excellent notion," Safiya also looked up: "Perhaps we should."

They checked the stone structure. The arched pillars, and the platform beneath them, were carved with runes—pretty similar to the one in the Burrows. The altar at the front had a single lever attached.

Gannayev strode over and was about to pull the trigger when Kaelyn called out.

"Wait, the globe!" She waved the dark orb in her hand.

"Right." The blue hagspawn scratched his head: "I forgot."

Leela squinted her eyes as she explored for a place to put the crystal ball in. Finally, at the top of the stone pillars, she spotted a concaved area that seemed like reserved for something to be put in. She cast a levitating spell, slowly drifted the ball up and placed it on the top of the Imaskari device.

"Right," The air genasi cast a side-glance at the dreamwalker and nodded: "Let's try this."

Gannayev reached out his hand pulled the lever. The steel made a series of loud squeaking noises before finally budging and beginning to move. After a loud clang, the whole device suddenly came to life and shimmered with light. Twirling winds started to circle and whirle around them. The whole chamber was humming.

"Good grief!" Okku was beyond words.

An air elemental appeared at the entrance. For the first time since they entered this maze-like underground sewage, this one did not attack them on sight. As the matter of fact, it did not seem to notice their existence at all. The Outer Plane creature stared at the contraption in the middle of the room in a dreamy manner and slowly drifted toward it. As soon as the being stepped onto the platform, ropes of runes sprung out from the pillars and circled around it. Then somewhere below their feet, they felt a sudden vibration, followed by a deep unclogging noise echoed throughout the chamber.

"Alright, I think we did something right." Leela looked around the area under her feet.

"Imagine what will happen if we activate all of them?" Safiya clapped her hands together and could not help herself but suppressed a glee.


	44. Chapter 44

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Four – Maze Unmake**

_Where've you gone, my son, my son? Gone to rot in the sun, the sun? Please come back, my son, my son... Kill them all, one by one by one!_

The ancient device clicked almost as soon as she pulled the lever, its metal scraping sound echoing within the dark chamber. On the top of the stone pillar circle, a dark sphere, filled with blood and catalyst ciphered from the air elementals shimmered with hinted blue light. The air inside the room started to stir wildly. Rune carved deep on the stone pillars leaped out, and circled around the platform. Humming noise began to resonate around them. It got louder and louder, to a degree everyone had to cover their ears.

Around the doorframe, an air elemental emerged. It was by far the largest they had ever seen. The creature consisted of twirling wind cast a slight curious look at other occupants inside the chamber, before slowly gliding across the floor and heading toward the Imaskari mechanic tool. It did not hesitate when stepping onto the platform riddled with ancient Imaskari tones. As soon as its whirling mass slipped into the device, the whole machine began to chime in a somehow pleasant sound.

Leela's eyes widened in surprise. The Imaskari piece of equipment was….singing.

"Now that's something you don't see every day." Gannayev arched his brow and whistled. Obviously the air genasi wasn't the only one who felt surprised.

"Gods, I wish Susah is here to witness this!" Kaelyn the Dove was speechless: "Such an device is beyond my understanding. She would be thrilled to see this, I am sure."

"This should be the last one." Safiya chewed the corner of her lips as she checked the rough map she drew on the empty piece of scroll paper: "We've pretty much covered every corner that's not flooded with water. All the other Imskari devices are activated."

"Would now be a good time asking what are those things actually for?" Okku grunted.

"I…I am not sure…" The Red Wizard shook her head: "The…the book did not really explain it clear enough…" She pulled out one of the old batter Imaskari book she retrieved from that run down library in the Barrow from her rucksack and flipped through the damp pages with care: "Expel…to expel…humph…not sure what this means…"

"I certainly hope it's not us—" The telthor bear god was about to rebuke when he suddenly paused, it's head tilted sideway: "Hold on, anyone hear that?"

"Heard wh—" Leela frowned. And then she heard it.

It was like someone had removed a piece of earth they were standing on somewhere. They all heard a loud clang, and then the whole maze went quiet. Just as Gannayev was about to bolt out of the room, a strange suckling sound began to echo down from the dark corridor beyond the shadows—the sound of water flowing. The sound of water draining away from this forsaken underground sewage.

Smiles flew upon everyone's face: the flood was gone.

Kaji let out an excited squeak and leaped around the room: "Mistress! You did it! Oh, Mistress! That's fantastic! Now we can leave! If we can fi—"

His thrill exclamation was cut short by another mad crackling scream panging through the underground maze. The poor homonculous started and immediately dived behind his master.

_No sleep, sleeping, dream, dreaming! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!_

Leela jerked her head around and saw Gannayev's face clouded. His fists rolled into balls, loosened, and tightened again. The blue hagspawn stared into the shadows in the hallway, his striking features illuminating the faint lights looked distant and dreaded.

"I think." He opened his mouth slowly, without noticing everyone was staring at him: "It's time for me to meet my mother."

"I will come with you." The druid blurted out without hesitation.

"Leela," The dreamwalker smiled slightly. His expression became somewhat tender: "You don't have to…"

"You can't do this alone." The air genasi shook her head.

"Don't even think about getting rid of us!" Safiya waged her fingers: "I am coming."

"Time to shut that maddening witch up and you are not permitting us to come along?" Okku shook his head: "Ah-uh, not a chance, son of the hag."

"It's like we have anything else to do in a hurry." Kaelyn shrugged: "No, we won't leave you facing that dreaded creature alone. The search for exit can come after. We shall go with you, hagspawn."

"That settles then." Leela chuckled. She bended over to allow Fluffy to climb up her shoulder: "Without the water blocking our way, it shouldn't' be too hard to find her."

They began to leave the room. As she walked past the blue hagspawn, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her upper arm. The air genasi gave him a quizzical gaze, and saw his gaze glittering with something unreadable. She suddenly felt herself blush slightly, and hoped among all this darkness the dreamwalker wouldn't see it.

"….Thank you." He continued to stare at her for a while before curving the corner of his mouth up.

"I promised you, at the Lake Mulsantir shore, that I will come with you." The druid returned his smile: "I don't usually break my promise."

"I will remember that, sweetling." Gannayev winked, before letting go of her arm, leaving the air genasi with the tingling sensation tugging at her innards. Confusion and guilt once again clouded her thoughts. It had became harder and harder to resist the blue hagspawn, while her heart still ached over the death and betrayal of Bishop.

* * *

_"It's just a statue, you know."_

_Leela turned her gaze away from the bronze statue of Tyr to the dark corner of the hall. Under the fluttering torch, a dark and handsome figure stirred near the entrance. A small smile flew to the corner of the mouth. The air genasi couldn't help herself but grinning._

"_Bishop."_

_The ranger walked toward her. His dark eyes were intense and yet full of tenderness. He continued to look at her for a while, seemed unsure how to put his thoughts into words. The air genasi stood by the statue patiently, waiting for the former Luskan hunter to open his mouth._

"_Lee…" He looked away. The light seemed playing trick in her eyes, because for a moment the druid could have sworn the rogue was blushing: "Tyr isn't watching this, but I am."_

_Leela's smile deepened. She reached out her hand and brushed it against Bishop's face, feeling the sensation of stubble sprouted over the last couple of hours. The former Luksan closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and leaned toward her hand._

"_I'm glad you came, Bishop." Said the air genasi. Her long silvery hair glittered under the torchlight: "What do you think of my chances?"_

"_Chances? Not much." Bishop shook his head, and blurted: "If you want, I can help you deal with Lorne tomorrow. I've been watching him, I know how he fights." _

_Leela arched her snowy eyebrow slightly: "I would welcome any help you can provide, Bishop, as long as it's within the rules of the duel."_

"_Rule? That's your first mistake, my sweet. Lorne won't care about the rules—he duels to kill." The dark rogue growled: "Lorne's barely keeping it together at the best of time. I could tell at the trial, he wanted to fight you then and there - not the sign of someone in control. _

"_Bishop." Leela signed: "Lorne's also from the West Harbour. I've known him since I was a child. He's not a bad person." _

" _People change, Lee." Bishop shook his head: "Please, do this - keep hitting him, but stay out of reach. He won't have any ranged weapons, he likes that falchion too much to fight smart. He doesn't like being weighed down with armor, so you shouldn't have trouble hitting him, so keep hitting him and hitting him and don't stop."_

"_And that's going to accomplish something?" The air genasi frowned._

"_At some point, he's going to lose it completely and go berserk—he will be most dangerous then, that's when you know you've got him desperate." The dark ranger gently grasped the druid's hand in his. His fingers brushed her wrist feathery. Leela thought her breath nearly stopped: "He's not going to spare you, not after all Luskan went through to get you."_

_Suddenly, she was pulled into his arms. The mixture of pine and rum filled her nose as Bishop buried his face in her hair. The air genasi felt herself stiffen in surprise before relaxing once again. For a while, they were just standing there, none of them uttering a single word._

"_Lee." When Bishop finally opened his mouth, his voice was hoarse and filled with emotion: "Promise me you will win the fight. Promise me!"_

"_Bishop." Leela closed her eyes, savoring the moment while it last. _

* * *

"Arh." Safiya smiled as she stood at one of the steps what was still flooded a few minutes previously: "New passage to explore. I could have sworn the maddening crackles were coming from down there. Let's move on, shall we?"

"Let's hope your mother have some nice tea for us." Okku grunted as he stepped down the stairs: "Or decent biscuits would be nice."

Kaelyn fluttered her wings elegantly, and was about to follow the others down the passage, when she noticed Leela was knuckling her eyes with her steps uneven.

"Leela, anything amiss?" The half-celestial reached out her hands to steady the druid: "Is the being inside you restless again?"

"Yes…" The air genasi shook her head and gritted her teeth: "It's getting harder to hold it. I swear I only just used Dalenka's spell a few minutes ago."

"I thought the Wood Man solved that problem already?" Gannayev stepped to her other side and helped her down the slippery stone steps.

"Tried that when we were ambushed by that group of maddened hags a few minutes ago." The air genasi shook her head: "No, the solution he offered wasn't a permanent one. So far nothing we seek can seem permanent." Feeling frustrated, the druid kicked the bloated corpse they walked past, and with a sinking feeling, suddenly sensing the air around them stirred.

"Hostiles!" Leela drew out her bow Forever: "Weapon's out!"

Almost as soon as she yelled out, three giant air elementals lashed out from the darkness and attacked the group at once. The air around them whirled and twirled, sending debris flying in the path. At the same time, another group of Skein dwellers also emerged from the corner and tried to take them on under the cover of elemental creatures. The air genasi leaped onto one of the rock boulders and fired several shots at them, sending one explosion after another in the narrow, deep passageway. One of the dwellers, a brute looking Orc, launched at the stone and waved his spiked club, fully intending to keep hitting until the druid tumbled down. The former Knight Captain quirked one corner of her mouth. She carefully placed her Drow bow on her back and jumped into the mid air. In the next moment, her body began to vaporize. More twisting wind gathered in the area. Within minutes, she shape-shifted into an air elemental that was twice the size as the rest in the underground sewerage.

"Lee, that is most unwise, you do not have enough strength, with that curse of yours nibbling at your back!" Shouted Gannayev, busied with fending off two hag's attacks with his quarterstaff. Leela seemed oblivious to his warning, however. She turned around and started her attack on the hostile air elementals.

Safiya waved her magic staff and cast purple magic arrows toward one of them: "Let's finish this quickly, Gann, before Leela'll collapse." Her lips moved, and meteors showered down around them.

"That hunger curse of hers had started to overpower her!" Hissed Kaelyn the Dove as she cast snarling vine to trap a Orc and a human: "She was just saying that Ashenwood spell no longer work as sufficient as it once were."

"Then we must make haste." The Red Wizard erected several set of firewalls to block the Skein dweller's advance. Leela's air elemental form spurn into their area and left them several meters in the air, before tossing them at the far end of the damp corridor. Using his large body weight and working with Gannayev, Okku pinned and slaughtered most of the Skein dwellers. The telthor bear god proceed on swiping his powerful paw across one already weakened air elemental, promptly dissipating the giant wind mass.

Kaelyn rose to the air, trying to use spells to slow down the remaining dwellers and air elementals. She and the blue hagspawn managed to slaughter a few of them until one last sinister Plane creature remained, corned by their staves and the threatening pincers of a certain giant spider Fluffy.

What happened next caught everyone completely by surprise. Just as Gannayev raised his staff over his shoulder and was about to finish off the elemental creature. The dreamwalker suddenly sense something dark pressed upon them. The blue hagspawn only had time to half glance over his shoulder when a dark shadow whooshed past him and the next thing he knew, the air elemental was engulfed by the smoky dark cloud. The poor injured being barely had time to scream before being dragged back to whatever it was behind them.

He jerked his head around and saw the familiar shadow drifting in the mid air, its tentacles moving menacingly to those around it. Beyond the cloud, he could faintly see Leela, having returned to her humanoid form, laying on the ground, her body twisted in a rather funny angle.

She was unconscious.

Out of nowhere, he heard a nasty shrieking laughter resonate in his head. At the same time, his mother's ghastly mirth drifted down from the darkness in front of them, before stopping abruptly by her own choking cough. He covered his ears, trying to block out the echoes both from the inside and outside.

"The Curse…."Okku swore: "By gods, it had broken free!"

"How in Toril are we going to stop this thing?" The half celestial's voice, for the first time, thickened with fear.

The shadow, however, did not appear to have any desire to consume more spirits. Its glittering eyes swiped across the narrow passageway, stopped temporarily at each and every one of them in triumph, before dissolving and returning to its host's unconscious body. It wasn't before long when the air genasi's body stirred and the former Knight Captain came about.

Without even opening her eyes, Leela knew what had just happened. She buried her face in her gloved hands, unable to speak. Her body shook uncontrollably. It took her some time to come back to her senses and she opened her mouth. When she finally did so, her voice was strained

"Who have I eat this time?" Asked the air genasi.

"Not one of us." Gannayev stepped forward and kneeled down beside her. Without giving much thought, his arms went around her slim shoulder.

"That's…that's a relief!" The druid chuckled wryly, despite herself.

"Lee…" Safiya also came by her side: "I'm sorry…I—"

"There is nothing you could do, Safiya." Leela shook her head, finally left her hands and looked into her friend's eyes: "We all know that. If there was someone to blame in this, it would be me and me alone. I should have been stronger. I should have been able to hold it off."

"There was no way you could do this alone, Lee." The Red Wizard's face was written with guilt.

"Don't blame yourself. You've done your best, Safiya." The druid smiled weakly. Her hand rested on her forehead.

"I think the best we can do now is press forward. The quicker we seek answer out of those hags in the Slumbering Coven, the closer we can find a way to solve the mystery of this Curse of yours." Kaelyn reached for her pouch, retrieved several vials of health potions, and pressed it onto the air genasi's hands: "But before all that, I suggest we rest here for a while. I am going to find something dry enough to burn. The after that, Okku and I will be the first watch."

And without waiting for Leela's reply, she stood up, gave the dark passageway a somewhat careful scan, and walked off. Okku gave the druid a slight nod, his face were filled with sympathy, before also standing up and following the half-celestial to collect some broken wood to start the fire.

The tiny clicking footsteps occurred from the dime corner. Before long, Leela felt the familiar creature approach and tap one of her hands tentatively.

"Fluffy." She managed to drag herself to the sitting position and gave her familiar a slight smile: "I am alright, don't worry. I am just…I am just very, very tired."

The arachnid tilted its head; its eyes stared at her. Even the spider did not seem convinced.


	45. Chapter 45

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Five – ****Gulk'aush**

_No sleep, sleeping, dream, dreaming, Ah ha ha ha ha ha!_

The mad hags' chuckling rattles had somehow grew louder this time, which multiplied ten folds in the damp and airy corridor, as if sensing they were just behind the stone carved door. Fabric rustled; small paddling steps, and heavy puffing noise shown she was restless. Or perhaps she had been quite restless for some time?

Leela stood in front of the door, her hand rested on the lever, hidden in a slot between two large roughly cut stones, that was opening the door. She took a deep breath, and cast a quick side-glance at Gannayev next to her. His back was rigid, his hands fisted and unfisted without thinking. His eyes were shut tightly. He took several inhales and exhales, trying to steady his breathing and calm his nerves.

"Gann?" Without thinking she reached out her hand tentatively to touch his. The blue hagspawn started as her fingers brushed the back of his hands. His blue eyes snapped open and locked with hers. They were unguarded, and for a moment, she thought she had stared into his soul.

He was afraid.

He had confessed at the Lake Mulsantir shore that he found visiting his birth place for real was rather terrifying, and the idea of meeting his mother face to face was simply beyond dread. Now he was a door away from finally achieving the letter. She could fully understand how anxious he was now. Over the last few days, she noticed he had slept less and less, seemed unwilling to venture into the dreamscape for some reason. Her guess was he had revisited certain part of the memory that was rather unpleasant to him.

She wondered what memory would that be? Prior to this, she always had thought being a dreamwalker must be quite pleasant. They visited others' dream, shared their happiest moments, and stayed clear of the unpleasant ones. After meeting Gannayev, for some reason she thought she might be wrong on that account. Everyone had past they did not wish to revisit, and not all of those pasts were pleasurable ones. Had the hagspawn been visiting those, unwillingly, and shared certain amount of sadness from the dreamers themselves? How long was that taking him to shake off? What would happen if it were his own memories? He could never shake those off, as they were part of him. He had to go through them, time and time again. Gods, that was depressing.

"Yes, my sweetling?" His pupils contracted, and his eyes darkening. When he finally opened his mouth, his voice was hoarse. He did not move his gaze away.

"Are you well?" Asked the air genasi with a worried frown.

He blinked, a bit slowly. When he looked at her again through his half-closed eyes, the window peeking into his soul was now closed. A small, warm smile slowly drifted upon his mouth. Despite the tension, it was a genuine smile from him.

"I will be fine." His hand turned, grabbed hers, and gave it a slight squeeze, while his gaze returned to the shut door in front of them again, staring at the geometric pattern abstractly: "It's only my mother, after all."

"Indeed." Okku's grumbling voice rose from behind: "Just a maddened hag after all. And I am so glad we are about to stop that wrenched squawking soon. Just ask away, little one, and I will tear her throat and silence her for good."

"Okku!" Safiya gasped: "She's Gannayev's mother!"

"A mother that hags, let alone rant." The Telthor bear god grunted: "Typical."

"Be on your guard, Leela." Said Kaelyn worriedly: "This one is not like other hags. Madness usually drives people to doing something rash and crazy. The strength and magic I sensed from her is a powerful one."

Leela once gain placed her hand on the lever and half turned her head over her shoulder: "I know."

She pulled the handle. The grinding sound of stones echoed through the quiet, dark passageway. The door slide up with a hissing sound.

For a while they saw nothing but darkness, stretched beyond the infinity at the space in front of them. The large stone paved floors were covered with grim, bloodstains and mildews. Smells of foul blood and dampness rushed through their nostrils. In the shadows, just behind the board lines of dim torchlight, something, or someone, was humming. It was a lullaby. The same lullaby Leela had heard from that Uthraki child when they were in the Wells of Lurue. Chills suddenly trickled down her spine, making her shivered.

"Dear Gods." She heard Safiya murmured.

The song stopped as the soon as it noticed they perched at the threshold. The thing stirred, stumbled back to its feet and began to move toward them. As it came into the light, Leela inhaled a sharp grasp.

It was a hag. But unlike the one they had encountered in Ashenwood, this one was different. Skinny to the bone, she had the same shades of skin color like Gannayev. But that was where the likeness ended. Unlike her hagspawn, who's skin was supple and smooth, hers was covered with warts, blisters and open sores. Her eyes were burning like hot coals, throwing out a thick, red radiance. Her hair was straggly jet-black, in knots, spilled over her shoulders and went as long as her ankles. Her face, crumbled and wrinkly like a hideously ugly human woman, was now assembled in a sneering expression. There were horns, twisted and bended in ridiculous angles, extended from the hairline on her forehead to into her tangled hair. Her clothes were battered and barely covering her body. There were several large bones and skulls, presumably human's, tided on a leather strings on her waist.

She tilted her head as she strode forward, and came to a halt merely a few meters before Leela and her companions. The hag scanned and sniffed them from head to toe, pausing only on Gannayev, with a hint of joy and surprise flickered past her eyes, before letting out a wolf like laugh.

"Cha-cha, another lucky one, lucky to know sleep, to know dreams." Her mouth split from ear to ear, revealing her yellow jarred teeth: "My gift to you: eternal slumber…oh, yes, and you might dream too, you might!"

She began to attack them, while carrying on her menace laughter. Sparks flew out of her outstretched hands, and Magic Missile burst out from the air behind her, landing inches away from Leela. The air genasi leaped away, drawing out her katana sword, trying to fend off the night hag's advances.

"Wait…wait…" Shouted the druid as she dove from another one of her assault again: "Gulk'aush, WAIT…I want to talk! Listen, I would like to talk to you!"

The reply from Gulk'aush was another sneer followed by the waves of clubs, made of human leg bones. Gannayev flew in between Leela and the night hag, his quarterstaff aimed at the mad hag's heart. The hag's eyes were widening in surprise and disbelief as she moved aside hastily, staggering back. Her face suddenly beamed with joy and pride.

"Return, returning, you had returned, to kill them, one by one by one!" She shrieked, and menaced. Her left hand glowed with simmering light. The blue hagspawn collapsed onto the ground, his eyes were large and surprised.

"Careful about the spell she cast, Lee!" Safiya cried out from the other side of the chamber, erecting firewalls around the Gulk'aush: "She's draining our strength!"

Gulk'aush seemed immune from the fire, however. The night hag simply stepped through the dancing flame easily, and launched herself at Okku, attacking him with her sharp claws and pointed teeth. The telthor bear god hissed, and shook his giant body, sending the hag flying across the room.

When she got back to her feet, she was furious. Muttering a curse under her breath, she chanted a series of unfamiliar syllable, and sparks began to shoot out from her fingertips.

"Hag spell!" Gannayev called out. He was still sitting where he collapsed, trying to regain the energy: "She's chanting Sleep!"

The spell hit Safiya head on. The Red Wizard instantly fell; her eyes still wide open with shock. Kaelyn rushed over dodging several mad hag's attacked along the way, managed to reach the Thayan's small body, kneed down and checked her pulse.

"She's alright!" The half-celestial shouted across the room: "She's just sleeping!"

Leela sighed with relief, then turned toward the night hag and her hands fanned out. Gnarling plants spurted out of her fingers, twirling and twisting toward Gulk'aush. The night hag was tied up from waist down in an instant. She snapped her head around, her eyes crimson.

"YOU!" She cursed, almost spilled fire: "You will be first! Bite off your bones, and suck your marrow!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Corners of the air genasi's mouth twitched. She sprung and several daggers bolted out of her hands. The druid watched in satisfaction they all reached their target. The night hag's cry was deafening in such a confined space.

"Will you just shut up!" Okku ducked his whole body at Gulk'aush, knocking her over and nearly squashed her: "I've never seen a woman whine so much and so loud like you! I am sorry, hagspawn. I know she's your mother, or she could be but…"

"Be my guest." Gannayev shrugged, smiling weakly.

Another Sleep spell flew across the room. This time it was Kaelyn. Her fluttering wings stopped, and she fell onto the filthy floor and immediately drifted into the sweet slumber. Her eyes were also open, reflecting the darkness within the room.

"Two down!" The telthor bear god growled: "This is not very promising, little one."

"Damnation!" Leela drew out Ice Maiden and with a flourish, held it firmly on the other hand. When Gulk'aush turned and charged at her again, her two blades fended and slashed at top speed. They became the extension of her arms as they dueled, hopped and bounced around the damp chamber. The night hag's club attack was surprisingly tough. There were several occasions the air genasi only managed to jump away in time to avoid being smashed into bits.

Purple arrows cut through the heavy air and hit the hag on the back. The druid whirled her head around and saw Gannayev had managed to regain enough strength to caste Magic Missile at his mother.

"Enough...stop throwing tantrum and start being civilized a bit, will you?" He panted: "We aren't coming to kill you, we are coming to talk!"

"Talk? Talk is cheap!" Gulk'aush laughed wickedly: "Action speaks louder than words! I— "

Her words were cut short by Okku head butted her on the chest. She was knocked over and crushed against the stonewall. The thumping sound of bones cracked under the telthor bear god's large body was clear. The night hag let out another ear piercing scream and curse every so loudly the entire Skein could hear her rattling.

"Bastards! Nasty bastards!" She began to laugh hysterically, her body started to shimmer with silver light, and it grew brighter by the minute: "Oh, you nasty lots! Pay, you will pay!"

The light gradually reached to a degree no one could see anything in the room. When it finally faded, Leela saw what was left of a small trace of smoke drifted toward Gannayev's direction. Before she had the chance to warn him, she saw the smoke circled around him, his body stiffened, and then slack. His eyes rolled back for a split of a second, and when they returned to their normal state, they were wild and wicked.

It was when he started to laugh hysterically, she realized what had the night hag just done: She took over his body and used it to fight for her!

"Why, this is so refreshing!" Gannayev, no, Gulk'aush snickered as she raised her hands inspecting her new host with a glee expression on her face: "Someone who dreams…arh…all these lovely dreams! Cha-cha! Oh, look at that, such an splendid one…from her? Why, I would never guess— " She suddenly stopped short, her gaze suddenly turned upon her: "Oh… now this is new…I would never guess…."

Chilled trickled down the back of her neck, making her hair stand. She was certain the night hag had just gone through her own son's memories and was now looking at something involving her. What about her? She frowned. Was there something she didn't know?

"Now how should I use my new body, I wonder? Oh, capital, new power I am wielding! " The magic staff on Gulk'aush's hand glowed. Leela tensed, the hag was about to attack her, using Gannayev's body.

The bolts of fire blasted out and shoot its way across the room, directly toward the air genasi. She dived, and rolled on the ground. No, she would not lash out against Gannayev. The air genasi would have to find a way to defeat the blue hagspawn and chase Gulk'aush out.

Meteor Shower came next. Giant fireballs bombarding them in the ruin chamber. The druid continued to avoid the dreamwalker's now possessed by the night hag's body attack. It was tiring, considering she had not yet recovered from the physical strain from the Curse. She stumbled, but narrowly avoided another spell. Nearby, Okku was anxious, he also was not certain if he should attack the hag physically. He tried to stand in front of Gannayev, purposely lashed out some nearly missed attack, to distract him enough to drop his assault on Leela.

Frustrated, the night hag threw several gnarling vines at the telthor bear god, pinned him at one side of the room, before continuing the attack physically. The air genasi had no choice but to wave her blades to fend off his quarterstaff advances, while calling out to drew the dreamwalker's conscious to return.

"Gann!" Another blow hit her katana hard, made her nearly dropped the blade: "Can you hear me in there, Gann! Please, Gann!"

"La-la-la, he will not hear you, sweet pie!" The night hag whirled her weapon around and thrust. The sharp tip of the weapon embedded deep into her right arm. The Ice Maidam hit the stone-paving surface below her feet. Leela hissed, managed to jerk away, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. Gannayev quirked the corner of his mouth, his daggers flew across the room. One amiss, while two hit her shoulder and her upper left arm. The air genasi yelped, and fell onto the ground once again. The blue hagspawn laughed, caught up with her, wretched his staff out of her arm, and gave her abdomen area a hard kick.

"Fight back, little one!" Okku roared from the other side of the chamber as the druid screamed in pain: "He's no longer himself!"

"No!" Leela shouted back. She tried Grip Vine, but the night hag shook it off easily.

She murmured the spell. Firewall erected around her in an instant, blocking the path between her and the blue hagspawn. Through the lurking flame, she saw the dreamwalker menaced. His hand outstretched and glowing. Blizzard began to havoc in the confined room. The fire vanquished. Gannayev slowly walked toward her, drew out his short sword and leaned over her shoulder.

"Now, you can sleep, and dream." He whispered devilishly next to her ear. Tip of the blade against her belt.

"You do know what's inside me, hag." She looked into the deep blue eyes of the blue hagspawn.

"Oh, I am aware of that," Gulk'aush snickered: "my son will carry the Curse. He will avenge me. He will devour them! How marvelous, don't you think?"

The blade pushed forward slightly. Leela held her breath, waiting for the moment to come.

It did not.

Bewildered, she opened her eyes and found Gannayev halted in the mid way, his face somehow showing certain restrain, and his eyes had temporarily returned to familiar clarity. Hope began to flicker within her. Could he manage to retake his own body, and shut out his mother's command?

"Leela…" Sweat broke from his forehead. The crease between his brows deepened. His body was tense and started to shake involuntarily: "I…"

"That's it, Gann…" The air genasi smiled: "Push her out."

He jerked, and his expression showed surprise and disbelief. Silk strands crept around him, slowly wrapping him tight. The blue hagspawn fell back, his sword slipping out of his hand. He opened his mouth and shrieked.

Purple arrows flew through the darkness and hit him hard. The druid snapped her head around and saw Safiya standing, leaning against Fluffy. Her eyes were glowering. Looked like the Sleep spell had worn off.

"That was so low, Gulk'aush." She hissed.

Ganneyav began to laugh hysterically. His body twisted, and writhed, and Leela saw the strange mist escaping the blue hagspawn's mouth, drifting to the corner of the chamber. It gradually formed a familiar shape, and in front of everyone's astonishing eyes, returned to the night hag form.

"Wench!" The night hag swore. A trickle of blood slowly oozed out from the corner of her mouth: "I will kill you! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

Surprisingly, the Red Wizard giggled: "Oh, that's new. I've never being called a wench before. Better add it to my name book!"

"Well, that ain't gonna work." Okku managed to break free from the vine: "Consider what you just did to our friends, you should be the one who got killed."

"Go ahead, do your worst!" Gulk'aush laughed. More blood came out of her mouth: "I do not wish to die, though it would bring an end to the punishment I've endured for my crimes, my _crimes_, ha-ha-ha."

"Crime?" Leela tilted her head and stare at the night hag curiously: "What is your crime? Was that why you were here in the first place?

"Oh, yes." Gulk'aush laughed wryly: "My _crime_! I violated the sisterhood! I broke the sacred law of Kurg'annis, I took a man as my lover! And I _loved_ him. Oh, how I loved him!"

"Gannayev's father." Kaelyn's voice interjected quietly. She had recovered from the Sleep spell.

"Oh, my love." Pain written clearly on her wrinkled face. Gulk'aush began to sob: "I kept this love hidden, told my sisters I was just toying with him - just toying a little longer. But I let him escape and fooled my sisters with the desiccated corpse of some other man. They remained ignorant of my terrible crime until I birthed the product of our love. Then they found my beloved and made me devour him alive in front of his son!"

"Oh, dear gods!" Safiya's hands flew to cover her mouth. Leela rolled her hands into tight fist. Her heart ached from hearing stories occurred in the past. This is completely shocking, the cruelest penalty she had ever heard. They made a child watch as the sentence was carrying on. How could such a punishment exist in the land of Toril? She cast a side-glance at Gannayev, found he had already been unbound and sat against the stonewall. His face as pale as marbles.

"Mother." The blue haspawn blurted out. His eyes fixed on the injured night hag.

"My son had returned!" Gulk'aush's face broke into a wild grin: "and he has brought violence against me. Will you murder your mother? Is this the homecoming you have sought?"

"You abandoned me!" The dreamwalker wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and cough: "You cast me to the wild of Rashement!"

The night hag started to laugh again: " 'Abandoned' implies I had a choice in the matter, my son. I had but one choice, and that was to _love _your father. "

"You don't know love!" Gannayev went even paler as he stared at his mother with disbelief: "How could you, you are a hag!"

"More than you, I think, child. Have you not drifted from creature to creature, spirit to spirit, finding no dream that has touched you?" Gulk'aush rocked her body back and forth, before suddenly stopped and looked straight into the blue hagspawn's eyes: "Or have you done so at last with this one you follow? And perhaps... not yet realized it? I was inside you for a brief moment, my child. And I've seen what you've hidden in there…"

"NO!" The dreamwalker shook his head: "You speak as if your words are truth, but you know nothing - of me, of my life."

"I _know_ you have dreamed of this city beneath the waves, and your travels have circled it all your life until now... until the time has come to destroy it." The night hag grinned with pride: "It was ordained we speak this one last time, my dear Gann. It is the one hope that has cradled me in this prison."

"Liar!" Gannayev shouted: "You... you are a creature of i_lies, spawned_ /ifrom lies."

Gulk'aush managed to drag herself up and slowly walked toward her son. She reached out her hand, and run her fingers along his jaw line lovingly: "And you, my beautiful, beautiful child, are far more terrible. To be spawned from the love of a hag—by such things are cities and nations lay to ruins. Do you wish to see the proof of my claims?"

Leela gazed toward the dreamwalker, and saw him gave his mother an slight nod.

"My words you should hear. There are others who deserve your hatred far more." Said the night hag gently, with a hint of fiery in her eyes: "The coven who sleep here. They i_must_ /ibe awakened. And with violence." She paused for a moment: " Send the Coven to join your father, who drifts in the rivers of the dead. Show them, at last, the horror that the love of a mother and her son can bring to their dreams."

Gannayev's eyes were now glowering with the same anger that reflected his mother's. He also reached out his hand and touched Gulk'aush's face, who closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, as if she was enjoying this moment, before suddenly pushed him away, and stumbled backward. Her hand flew toward her eyes and before any one of them could react, dug them out of her eye sockets. Blood splattered everywhere. The eyeballs, still glowing in red, now rested in the palm of her hand.

"Mother!" The blue hagspawn cried out.

"The voices through my mind and the insanity will soon reclaim me, my child." She held her eyeballs forward and dropped it into her son's hand when he rushed toward her: "Take this from me, I will need it no longer. Use it in your travels, use it against the Coven."

"Come with us, mother." The dreamwalker tried to grab his mother's hand, but she waved it off.

"Now leave me." She began to walk toward the dark corridor ahead: "The escape you seek is ahead. I cannot go with you. I do not know how much longer I can maintain my sanity. The voices in my mind are a cacophony."

"Then hear my voice this last time, mother - where I walk, you shall be with me until the end days. We shall be together again." Gannayev shouted out after her.

The night hag seemed to ignore his callout. Her madness appeared to return, as she began to hum that wicked lullaby again. But as she went past the threshold, she paused, and her raucous voice crackled and echoed through the room.

"My son, oh, my precious son. Can he—does he—dream…of me? My son?"


	46. Chapter 46

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Six – The Entrance**

"I can still stand." Leela quirked the corner of her mouth, half amused, as she watched Gannayev stare at her with concerned expression on his handsome face: "Please stop looking at me like I am a fragile doll, Gann. These are just few bruises. And you already healed most of them."

To prove it, she placed her hand on the chilled stonewall, dragged herself up and tattered a few steps forward. Dizziness returned. She swooned, almost lost her balance. The dreamwalker shot up in an instant and his hands were on hers almost at once.

"Leela," The blue hagspawn shook his head as he helped the druid to sit back down again "They were caused by_ me_."

"When your body was not yours to command. You were possessed, Gannayev." The air genasi tilted her chin up and smiled at him: "There is really no need to trouble yourself over this. Besides, you did try to take over your body at the end, giving us plenty of time to exorcise her out."

"Yes, but still…" The dreamwalker's words trailed off. His expression showing anything but relief.

As Gulk'aush disappeared into the darkness, they found a small antechamber at the other end of the room. A small and narrow passageway, hidden behind a rather large rune pillar, lead them up the worn slippery stone steps and to a wooden hatch door. The padlock attached to the wrought iron was rusty; it didn't seem like it would take the druid much effort to wrench it off.

They decided to take some rest there before heading to the Coven, for the sake of injuries sustained by Gannayev and Leela. Safiya conjured some fire in the middle of the small chamber and kept them burning by feeding the flame with some dry splinters she and Kaelyn managed to find. Thought there were no more insane human or other exiles that came out and attacked them, Okku still insisted to take on the watch. After insisting both the blue hagspawn and the air genasi each took several vials of health potions, the Red Wizard of Thay was finally satisfied, retreated to her corner with her several scrolls under her arms, a nice quill in her mouth, and a small bottle of inkwell in the palm of her hand, readied for some more reading. Kaelyn dragged out her bedroll and decided to have some well deserved rest. It wasn't long before it was only the druid and the dreamwalker left by the fire.

"Nevermind me. What about you? How do you faring?" Leela tilted her head at Gannayev and arched her snowy eyebrow, trying to change the topic: "You were also hit when we tried to force the night hag out of your body."

"...I am quite well, my sweetling." The blue hagspawn smirked, obviously sensing her attempt to turn the attention away from herself and decided to drop it for the time being: "I must say Safiya's healing spell had made those bruises more bearable. Though the side effect of those brilliant brews is I am now also feeling terribly lightheaded. Very similar to how I felt when I was in the dreamscape, but not exactly the same." He cast a side-glance at Safiya, whose hand was glowing in soft, gentle light, obviously practicing some spell she was reading: "I am glad the Red Wizard was here, nevertheless. I had never been skilled with brewing potions, thought knowing how to call up one would be good enough."

"Suppose you never counted the times when you barely had enough strength to call one, huh?" The druid winked.

The blue hagspawn chuckled, knuckled his eyes and stared into the fire, his face suddenly looking lost, uncertain and tired. Some silence ensued. Just when Leela thought he was not going to say anything further and was readying to excuse herself to get some rest, Gannayev suddenly let out a sigh.

"You know, Leela" His gaze continued to fix on the dancing flame: "I did not expect this. For all this time, I dreamed about my mother, hearing her voice in my sleep, speding countless times circling about this place. Now, when I finally came to the place where I was born and met her in person, hearing her side of the story… I…this is strange, I feel lost."

Leela looked at the blue hagspawn and did not reply. She kind of sensed this was coming. Gannayev had seemed slightly drained since confronting his mother, Gulk'aush, just a moment ago. And she was certain it wasn't the side effect of those effing healing potions.

"All that _time, wasted_ in judging her for something she had not done." His voice was almost like a whisper: "She did the exact opposite of what I had believed all my life, _felt _the exact opposite. She loved me. And loved my father."

"I believe she did, yes." Sighed the air genasi.

"How much such dreams and hopes are left unsaid between others?" The dreamwalker wondered out loud: "And how many could be saved—or healed—by such knowledge?"

He suddenly lifted his eyes, turned around and looked into hers. The velvet blue depth circled around hers, nearly drowning her in them. Leela felt her throat tighten, her breath had almost stopped, but she was unable to turn away. It was just like then, on the top of the watchtower in Ashenwood. Except this time, the tide of longings, the want to feel him, was stronger. It was so overwhelming, that she was almost wept.

"If I ever love, I will speak of it. This is my promise, the first vow I have ever made." Said the blue hagspawn seriously. He then paused, his eyes turned another shade darker: "And if I am loved in return, then it shall only be the first vow of many."

"Are you…" Leela swallowed, somehow having trouble finding her voice for being this close to him: "Are you in love, Gannayev?"

Gannayev did not reply straight away. He continued to give her the look that would chase away all her thoughts, leaving her mind pleasantly blank for a moment. He took a deep breath. And very slowly, he reached out his hand. His fingers gently stroke the bruises on her cheek. A hint of guilt flickered past his face.

"I don't know… I…" His fingertips brushed her lips and touched them feather like. As his face moved closer, she once again smelt pine and early morning dew. The air genasi closed her eyes and felt her insides tremble as his warm lips finally covered hers, gently and tentatively.

She sighed, feeling herself melting away. Instinctively, she leaned closer, her hands climbed up and circled around his neck, tugging his long silvery blue hair. Sensing her reaction, the blue hagspawn moaned, his arms were also around her, with one had fanned at the small of her back, and the other lingering on her face. He deepened the kiss; his tongue probed the edge of her lips, urging her to open. When she did, it quickly slide into her mouth and found her tongue. Waves upon waves of sensuous pleasure almost carried them both away.

Deep down, she knew she had been longing for this kiss since that day in Ashenwood. It had been some time since she craved someone kissed her and held her like this. Suddenly, Anya's infatuation no longer mattered. She knew, somehow, that Gannayev was telling the truth: he was only there as a traveler, asking them to lend him a roof over his head to sleep for a night, nothing more.

Both of their breath became heavy. The dreamwalker's kiss began to move away from her lips, peeking and nibbling away along her jaw line. It traveled down her elegant neck and paused at the exposed skin just above her neckline before traveling back to her mouth, reclaiming her lips. Leela shuddered, tilted her head up for better angle, to allow herself to become more intimate with him. The blue hagspawn murmured something inaudible, his hands moving up, covering her breasts, and kneading them through the fabric of her tunic. This time the air genasi did not pull away. In truth, she did not want him to stop. Suddenly, Bishop no longer mattered. Their pasts no longer mattered. She wanted his touch. More, more, more!

It was Gannayev who ended the kiss. He grasped her upper arms and gently pushed her away, while still trying to steady his breath.

"Leela…" He panted, pressed his forehead against hers: "I cannot promise you anything at the moment, but I do know you are different compared to any other woman I've ever encountered, dreamscape or not. I shall know in time—you have already shown me one part of my world and allowed me to make peace with it... perhaps you will show me something else?"

Leela nodded, waited until her mind slowly drifted back from the oblivious bliss. She watched the dreamwalker gave her another kiss on her cheek, before getting up and moving toward Okku, ready to take up the next watch. It was not just him, thought the air genasi. She felt she needed to make up her mind, too. Her feelings toward Gannayev had grown stronger since they first met, to a degree it could not be ignored or brushed aside any longer. But what about Bishop? Their feelings were once burning with such passion, it nearly destroyed them both. She had thought after the dark hearted ranger's demise, she could no longer harbor such feelings toward anyone else. She had planned once she finished this quest on getting rid of the Curse that cast upon her, she would find a secluded place and spend the remanding of her life alone, just like Daeghun did. Now…

Now she wasn't so sure anymore.

* * *

"Damnation! This lock is rusty to a point there can be no possibility of picking it." Gannayev watched as Leela threw away her lockpicking tools and cursed.

"Perhaps it is because those hags usually threw their poor cast offs down the trap door at the other side of this rotten maze." Growled Okku behind them "Let's say we stick with the original plan and rip that damn thing off. To hells with discretion!"

"Yeah, and alert the entire coven that we are arriving, very clever!" Safiya rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Chances are they probably know we are here already." Kaelyn shrugged: "It's your call, Leela."

The air genasi quirked her silvery brow and fanned her right hand over the severely corroded padlock. Beside her, Gannayev stood deliciously close. He could smell the hint of freshly rained forest and sweet chrysanthemum.

He had not expected to kiss her, certainly did not expect her to return his kiss with such an overwhelming feeling. He had nearly lost it, almost claimed her right there and then, in that small antechamber behind them. After what happened at the Garrison of Tears and the farmhouse at the Wells, he had fully expected her to reject him, or slap him when he made the attempt. But somehow she didn't. Hope flared in his chest. Did that mean she actually had something toward him, just like he had sensed from the beginning? He cast a few side glances at her, who was closing her eyes to concentrate on reciting a spell. Her serious profile somehow looked even more beautiful then she usually was. His heart was in his throat. On that moment, he wished they could toss away whatever that was strapping them and just be alone with each other.

He was riddled with guilt when learning he had attacked her, causing her physical harm during his brief moment of being possessed by his own mother. He could see what he was doing, while being trapped inside his body and watching Gulk'aush lashing out against his companions and comrades. He had felt totally helpless as he heard the druid cry out in pain and seeing her writhing under his feet. It was like a sharp knife piercing through his soul to see her like that. It was all caused by him! Though he managed to regain control over his body at the last moment, just when the night hag was about to kill her, he still could not help himself shudder when he saw the cuts and bruises on her body.

Suddenly the idea of life without Leela seemed very daunting.

He admitted he cared about the air genasi a great deal, but could this be love? Somehow he was still not certain.

He had seen her dreams. He was fully aware of a certain dark ranger that was lingering in her dreamscape. From her reaction he was sure this person carried some weight in her past, when she was the Knight Capitan at the Crossroad Keep. He had wondered, more than once, who this person was, and whether Leela still cared for him. And it had pained him to imagine if she did.

As a soft chant slipped past her lips, with a gentle glow shimmered over her hand, the bolt snapped apart cleanly within second.

The party cheered. Leela took off the broken lock and threw it down the stairs. She gave the hatch door a gentle push. The wooden door opened.

Fluffy immediately leaped off from her shoulder and be the first who ventured into the room above. The silence followed. Soon the giant spider appeared at the secret entrance again and clicked its pincers.

"It seems to be alright." Said the druid in a low voice. She reached out her hands, her fingers grabbed the edge of the entrance, testing her strength a bit before hoisting herself up. Her long and elegant body disappeared into the darkness above. Gannayev quickly followed, and so did the rest of the companions.

They found themselves situated in another damp and dimly lit room. Sound of water echoed through the mist hung in the shadows. Old and moldy dust swirled and danced around the chamber, circulating around the only oil lamp hanging on the wall. The blue hagspawn walked around the area, his fingers brushing gently the cold and wet surface of the stonewall. He soon discovered another door at the other side.

"Lee." He called out, cocked his head toward the door.

Leela was next to him within seconds. She stared at the whirled rune patterns on the door, chewing her lips: "This can only lead to the main Slumbering Coven audience chamber. There are no other exits around."

"Humph." The dreamwalker nodded.

"Ready?" She looked around, met the stern nods from her companions. Gannayev's hand found hers, his fingers threaded through hers as she returned her gaze back to the door.

The air genasi found the hidden lever, removed the clotted dirt and mold: "Weapons ready."

She pulled the lever. As soon as the door slide up, they saw a hag ascending down from the large staircase in the center of what seemed like the entry hall. At the foot of the stairs, two blazers lit with roaring fires, sending some warmth in the otherwise chilled and dark room and chased away some dampness they had been experiencing since entering this structure. Several pillars, carved with complex runes, scattered around the hall.

The hag was accompanied by two burly looking hagspawn guards. Her expression was thunderous.

"What's this?" She sneered: "Someone coming up from below? Oh, this will not do. This will not do at all."

"Hur-hur, no, one can only go down, no one is getting up, right, Mistress?" One of the repulsive looking hagspawn guards snarled: "Want us to get rid of them for ya?"

"Oh, go ahead." The Mistress let out a wry laugh that sounded like magpie crying in the dark, cloudy day: "See which one of you will… please me more. Time for some little light exercise, aye? It's been a while. "

Both guards let out a howl and lashed out at once. Safiya waved her magic staff and cast Magic Arrows. As purple shots zoomed across the chamber and hit the haspawns, Okku began his attack at them. Kaelyn flew to the air, calling on shielding spells for her comrades. Leela dodged past the brute force of the guards, her katana and Ice Maiden sprung and flourished in her hands. She aimed at Mistress at the back and carried out her assault.

"Oh, this one is smart." The Mistress laughed: "I wonder what she was? Not ordinarily, I see. Ar…" She cast a spell to circle herself in a shielding bubble: "An air genasi? Now this is the first... tsu-tsu…."

"We. Only. Want. An. Audience. With. The Coven!" Said the air genasi through her gritted teeth.

"Through the back door?" The hag let out a bark-like snarl: "How sneaky! Unfortunately all audience is closed at the moment. No exceptions! Now die!"

She threw a lightening spell at the druid, who dived away and waved her weapons at her in return. The Mistress hissed. She drew out several daggers at her waist and shot them at the air genasi. Leela blocked some of them, but the injuries she had conducted earlier made her loose some fluid memento she had professed in the past. One of them hit the druid's right arm.

The air genasi cried out. Her katana dropped. The hag let out a shriek of delight. She was about to unleash more attacks on the former Knight Captain, when a jet of web suddenly surged through the air and wrapped her up tightly. Her eyes were burst out with fury. She snapped her head around, trying to see who the sneak attacker was. Her view was being blocked by a giant spider landed on her face, pushing her flat on her back. Before the Mistress could utter any word, Fluffy's pincer rose and fell, promptly slitting her throat.

One of the hagspawn roared. He turned, making his way to the spider. He was paused by Gannayev and Safiya, both throwing spells after spells at him. He hissed, trying to avoid the bombarding attack cast upon him.

"You!" He pointed his large throbbing finger at the dreamwalker: "You are supposed to be one of us, what the bloody hells are you doing with them?"

"Me? Being one of you?" Gannayev chuckled loudly, thrusting his quarterstaff at the brute guard: "Not in this lifetime!"

Okku launched himself at the hagspawn's back, waved his paw and aimed at the unfortunate guard's head: "He's better than you ten times over, now die!"

"Why, thank you." The blue hagspawn blinked, seeming surprised by the telthor bear god's compliment: "Never thought I live to see the day you actually say something nice about me."

"Your mother knows one thing that theirs don't, Gannayev." Kaelyn wrenched her staff off the other hagdpawn, who she just killed by attacking him from the air: "_Love_. Yes, she had suffered because of it, but look at you. I bet she was damn proud when she saw you down there."

Leaning against the stone pillar, Gannayev looked at the half-celetial and smiled: "Suppose she did."

"Course she did." Leela managed to stand up. He turned his gaze at her, noticed her eyes were as clear as glittering pond under the star.

The dreamwalker suddenly lost the ability to speak.

He had came to his conclusion.


	47. Chapter 47

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Seven – The Chamber of Dreamers**

The largest stone chamber they had come across was bathed in shimmering blue hue. A huge granite built platform, chiseled to perfection, erected in the middle of the room. It was surrounded by shallow trenches, flew with crimson red substance that they suspected was blood. Pillars so big you couldn't get your arms around them circled along the edge of those blood-filled gutter. Other than the platform, every remained surface, even the pillars, were covered with countless rune circles, overlapping each other, all glowing with bright silvery light, to a degree it was hard to distinguish which one was which.

"Finally," Leela breathed as they stood at the threshold of the chamber. All in awe, all not knowing to lay where their eyes first: "The Slumbering Coven."

"My goodness, this is grand scale," Safiya beside her gushed, the hint of admiration thick in her voice: "Never in my life I dreamt of entering this place, and yet here we are. The descriptions I've read somehow underscore it."

"Anyone have the feeling that we are trespassing?" Kaelyn sucked her lips, as she had just tasted something sour: "Or disturbing someone who's sleeping?"

"So this is why they have not granted any audience." Gannayev tilted his chin toward the platform. Among intricate pattern carved marble stage surface stood the strange twisted device resembled giant cloak racks. The nine hags that made up the Slumbering Coven hovered in the midair among the racks, protected by what seemed to be some form of magic barriers: "They are having their beauty sleep."

"Women." Okku shook his head.

"What are those?" The air genasi pointed at the bodies scattered around the device. All of them looked peaceful and content. Some even looked blissfully delighted. She kneeled down to check one that was nearest, and gasped in shock to realize they were dead.

"They used them to fuel the shield, or so it seems," The blue hagspawn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He strolled around the platform, muttered something inaudible, and prodding each body with his boot as he skipped past them. Finally, he returned to the druid, hands on his waist, creases between his brows deep: "See those three there?" He pointed at the three only beings stood on the stage: two human and an Illithid. Each coated with the same glowing light as the barriers: "They are in stasis. Those three are probably the only ones alive in the chamber. The hags are trapped in their own dream. It seems that the longer they remain in their own little dreamscape, the more energy the Coven drain."

"Gods, this is the cruelest of all magic." The Red Wizard of Thay looked aghast. Actually she wasn't the only one. None of Leela's traveling companions, including the air genasi herself, looked particularly comfortable with what they've just seen there.

"Somehow I have a funny feeling we can't really wake those damn hangs up unless we find a way to break those magic barriers," The druid began to pace around the device: "But how are we going to do that? It seems those barriers protect those beings as well." She picked a dart from her waist pouch and threw at one of the beings in states. There was a small hiss and some sparkles, but the shield remained unscathed just like she had predicted.

Gannayev continued to stare at the floating hags for sometimes in silences, contemplated. Finally he opened his mouth hesitantly: "I have an idea."

"Do share, Gannayev." Kaelyn urged.

"We can enter each one of those three's dream and…persuade them to wake up."

"What…that's easier to say than done, for your are a dreamwalker," Leela complained with a wry smile on her face: "But there is no way we let you do this alone."

"There is a way," Reminded the blue hagspawn calmly: "My mother's eyes."

That enlightened the druid at once. Down in the Skein, Gulk'ash had pawed out her own eyes and gave it to her before disappeared into the darkness. Since hags in the Slumbering Coven had the ability to traipse through the dreamscape, their eyes must possess the same capacity, too.

The air genasi fumbled her rucksack and withdrew Gulk'ash's eyeballs, wrapped in oiled papers, still glittering as if they never left their host's eye sockets.

"That's all nice if we all sit here and talk," She stared at the blood soaked eyeballs, uncertain what to do next: "But how am I suppose to use it?"

"Humph, Lee, " The Red Wizard leaned closer to the druid: "Let me see what I can do."

Her hands reached out and fanned over the glistening eyeballs, paused for a minute to decide which spell she should be using, and murmuring something under her breath. Crimson lights burst out of her hands and soon covered the eyes. When the light faded, she exhaled and gave herself a satisfying nod.

"This shall do." Said the Thayan Wizard.

Leela lowered her gaze and found she was looking at the most beautiful pearls she had ever seen. Threaded with fine silver chain, it bared no resemblance of what it once was. The patterns on those jewels looked somewhat like iris and the fine red lines reminded her the thin blood veins.

"That's… a lot better." The air genasi chuckled, before putting the necklace on: "Right, Gannayev and I will go…"

"Why can't I go?" Okku growled.

"Okku," Safiya rolled her eyes: "It's hard to believe you are i_a telthor bear god_/i, not i_a bear cub_/i. There is only one pair of eyes; of course we can't all go. Besides, Lee will need someone to guard the body while they were in dreamscape. You don't want the Slumbering Coven wake up before we do and decided our bodies are way better draining source than those three, do you?"

The telthor spirit glared at the Red Wizard for a moment before grunted: "Very well."

They head back to the small room adjoining the entrance chamber, the one they had entered when they emerged from the Skein below. Once secured the room and certain the door was firmly locked, they started the fire and readied for the druid and blue hagspawn's journey through the dreamscape.

"I will try to bring her back as soon as I am able, should anything goes wrong and those hags wake up before we do," Gannayev slipped a scroll into Safiya's hand: "But use this just in case."

"In case for what? What does this do?" The Red Wizard frowned.

"In case we are trapped," The dreamwalker looked at her seriously: "This spell is known by all spirit sharman in Rashemen. We used them to save those who were lost in dreamscape. I have never doubt my ability when traveling in the realm of dreams. But these hags…. I am wary about them, Safiya."

"I understand." Nodded the Thayan solemnly.

"Thank you," Gannayev gave her a slight smile: "Remember, only use them when all else failed."

"Doesn't that include planting you a facer?" Okku grinned wickedly.

"Cruel, cruel grandpa bear," A small smile flew up at the corner of the blue hagspawn's mouth: "Must you torment me so? This might be the last time you talk to me, you know."

"I am weeping." The telthor spirit let out a growl like laugh.

"Safe journey," Kaelyn held Leela's hand and gave it a slight squeeze: "Sweet dream."

"Thank you." The air genasi smiled.

They walked toward the bedroll near the fire and lied down. As they did so, Gannayev dragged a blanket and wrapped around the druid. His hands stayed on her shoulders, sending pleasant warmth down her spine.

"Are you ready?" His eyes were somehow dark and serious. It reminded her the starless night before the storm.

Leela nodded, her hands fisted: "Let's go."

"Sleep tight, I will see you in the dreamscape." The dreamwalker smiled. His hands grew warmer. Leela felt a tinkled of electricity pass from him to her and shivered. The stonewall around her began to swirl and her eyes began to drop. She knew almost at once they were heading toward the dreamscape, where people's darkest and deepest's secrets lied. She sighed, allowing herself to slip into the realm of dreams, like dipping her toes into pleasantly warm water….

But something wasn't right there.

Suddenly, like a leopard leaped out to snatch its prey. The druid suddenly felt like she was being grabbed but some unseen force, shaken violently and thrown into blackness.

"Gann!" She cried out, tried to grip something solid. But there were nothing but pitch darkness around her. She felt herself keep falling and falling, as if there was no end of this shadows trapping her…

* * *

_When Leela came around, she realised she had fell onto some hard wooden surface. The air genasi struggled to drag herself to sitting position, feeling her head swoon, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw stars. _

_A pair of strong arms reached out and wrapped around her shoulders. The druid let out a startled yelp, before realised it was Gannayev. Relief washed over her in the instant. _

"_Gann!" Her hand reached up to touch his: "Thank goodness!"_

"_Bumpy journey, my sweeling?" Said the dreamwalker in feigned lightness: "How are you faring?"_

"_My limbs still intact," The druid grumbled as Gannayev helped her got back to her feet: "Right, I suppose we'd better…what the deuce?" She looked around: "The Veil? You've gotta be kidding me!"_

"_Intriguing, no?" Corners of the blue hagspawn chiseled mouth curled up: "I don't think this belong to any of those thralls."_

"_I figure as much," Grunted Leela as she scanned what looked like the backstage of the Veil theatre: "Something's amiss, Gann. If this is not the dreamscape those thralls' been trapped into, why are we here?"_

"_Perhaps it was like the last time we were in the realm of dreams together." The blue hagspawn gently pushed the damp hair that threatened to invade Leela's dark azure eyes aside and frowned: "The dreamscape shapes and moves in a mysterious way. We are here for a reason."_

"_Not one of those lovely memories I am not aware of, is it?" The air genasi also frowned: "Gods, next time you invite me into the dreamscape with you I'd better make sure I racked my brain first so I remember everything to minuscule details!"_

_Gannayev laughed. The door lead to the stage suddenly swung open, and in came the Dwarven lady Magda, one of the actress in the theatre, and the other actor whose name Leela honestly could not recall. The plump lady's face was beaming with the mixture and delight as soon as she spotted them._

"_Thank goodness you are here, Leela!" She exclaimed, hands outstretched: "You'd better hurry, or you will miss the final scene!"_

"_Scene?" The air genasi was bewildered: "What scene?"_

"_Don't you remember?" Magda waved her hands exaggeratedly: "We composed the play for you, like you asked. It's a fine work, and an old, old story - The Betrayer's Crusade."_

"_The Be—." Leela stared at the dwarven actress, still not understood what she meant._

"_Leela," Gannayev whispered next to her ear: "There is something deeper in her request, an undercurrent - we should follow its pull, and see where this play leads."_

"_You mean like those we had about that Red Woman?" The druid whispered back._

"_Exactly." The blue hagspawn's eyes gleamed _

"_Go ahead, step on the stage, dear," Magda urged as they hovered near the doorfraime and peeked onto the dimly lit stage: "We've reserved the Betrayer's part for you. You remembered your lines, didn't you?"_

"_No, you'd better remind me."_

_The dwarven woman let out a heavy sigh: "Now of all times…right, here it goes: it's a tales that messengers of sorts, though they bring different tidings to all who hear them. If a tale is persistent, then you have not heard all it has to say. Remember the lines yet?"_

"_Nope," Smiled Leela a little sheepishly: "not a word."_

"_Of course. The forgetting's in the script, too," Magda beamed: "Tell you what, I'll set the stage, and you can make up your lines as you go along."_

"_What—" The druid's eyes widened: "Wait…wait a minute."_

"_The Crusade has failed…" Said the drawen actress in an hurry tone: "the Betrayer's army is crushed, and he must give his final comments to his lieutenants. The dark god Myrkul is close at your heels. You must make these orders count... they shall be your legacy... perhaps all that shall ever remain of you."_

"_I can't believe I actually came up with this damn thing." The air genasi rolled her eyes heavenward._

"_Now you must hurry," Magda began to nudge her: "get up there, my dear. The audience is getting restless. We have a reputation to maintain!"_

_Before Leela could reply anything, she was being pushed through the door and stumbled onto the stage. The theatre was dark. There were a few lamps lit around the stage, which made it slightly brighter than the rest of the place. The air genasi stood in the middle of the performing area, unsure what she was supposed to do next. She couldn't even make out how many people were in the audience. All she heard was the shushing and booing coming from all corners._

"_Jolly, this is good." Muttered the druid under her breath: "A full house and I am expecting to remember my lines magically!"_

"_Remain calm, my sweetling," Gannayev masked a cheerful expression on his face while murmured Leela in return: "arh…here are the other performers."_

_There were three performers stood in front of them, all of them were masqueraded. The female on their right was wearing a deep pearly blue robe with exquisitely swirling golden dragon embroidery; the male in the middle wore a mat blue robe with dark indigo pattern and high collars, while sporting an rather large wings on his back; the one on their left wore an dark charcoal brown robe, his facial expression rather reminded the druid a lot about a certain warlord named Ammon Jerro._

"_I am Zoab," Said the actor in the middle with in a low thundering tone: "of white wings and golden brow, born in the radiance of Celestia. For mercy, and for justice, I swore to bring down the Wall."_

"_Someone related to Kaelyn, no doubt." Murmured Leela with an arched eyebrow. She reminded herself to ask the Dove about this later._

"_I am Rammaq, the old, the dead," The actor on the left hissed in a hallowing tone: "Thrice have I glimpsed godhood, and thrice has that prize been snatched from me. For the knowledge I was promised, I swore to bring down that Wall."_

"_This is meant to be based on the real tales, right?" Gannayev mused._

"_How would I know? I am not even a Rashemi." The druid snapped: "Damnation, I am sorry, Gann. I…"._

"_Humph, still nervous, I fully understand, dear girl, " The blue hagspawn smirked: "Arh, the Knight Captain of the Sword Coast…"_

"_I am _NOT_ the Knight Captain of the Sword Coast," Leela threw a feigned dagger look at him: "I am only the Knight Captain of the Crossroad Keep. Was, actually, for I am no longer one."_

"_And I am Sey'ryu, the vast and the glorious," the actress spoke, turning their attention back to the three performers in front of them: "Who scared the desert skies, blue upon blue. For the debt I owe to you, Betrayer, I swore to bring down the Wall."_

"_The God of the Dead draws near, and our battle is lost, " The actor who portrayed Zoab spoke again: "What would you have of your generals?"_

"ME_? Oh, no, there is my line now. " The air genasi was anxious: "Arh…Stand and fight. The Crusade may have failed, but we won't be taken alive?"_

"_What?" The druid heard the actor hidden behind the door gasped: "That isn't part of the script!"_

"_But you said I could just made up as I go!" Leela protested: "Well, alright, then. We flee, and finish this battle another day."_

_From the hisses and boos down in the audience, this wasn't the right answer either._

"_That's not right, either," Magda groaned: "I told everyone you can chant your lines backward. Now you are making fool of me."_

_The audience was getting even more restless. Rubbish started being thrown onto the stage. The performers had to dive away on several occasions._

"_This doesn't look like your dreams," The blue hagspawn frowned as he jumped away from a half eaten rotten apple: "Something's amiss here."_

"_Now you are telling me," The druid shook her head: "I don't suppose you know how to leave this dream, do you? It seems like there is no point dwelling here, don't you think?"_

_Magda's voice broke in before Gannayev could reply: "Humph, perhaps we should skip to the final scene, where the Betrayer is captured and tutored and punished. She won' t need to know any _line_ to play that scene properly."_

_Her figure, along the other actor who Leela still couldn't recall his name, and the members in the audience, became stretched and blurry. Then the twisted image reformed and turned into something else. Something…that the air genasi could not identified. _

_For once, she sincerely hoped Sand could be here as well. At least he would tell her what those damn creatures are. _/i


	48. Chapter 48

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Forty–Eight – The Maze of Dreams **

"_Aren't they not assisting us?"_

_Leela hissed toward Gannayev as they stood back to back against each other while the remaining audience and actor turn beasts circled around them, trapping them in the middle._

"_Those?" The blue hagspawn tilted his head slightly at the three actors stood at the edge of the stage: "Don't think so. And again, what do you expect, those people are performers, not people who held weapons."_

"_Damnation," The air genasi muttered: "Ooops, this one is getting fidgety."_

_One of the creatures the audience had spun into launched itself at the pair, its jarred teeth dribbled with saliva. The druid tossed the dagger playfully in her hand for a second before throwing it toward the monster. The beast snarled and fended it off. It had proven to be a diversion. With him distracted, the former Knight Captain cast several blows of magic arrows at it. The purple magical conjured weapons pierced through it like knife cutting through butter. The poor thing made some in voluntary grunt, staggered back, before landed spectacularly below the stage and stopped moving. _

_Gannayev outstretched his arms with his hands fanned over the charging wolf-like being. Twisted and gnarled vine burst out his fingertips and wrapped them around the monster the instant they made contact with the creature's skin. Corners of his mouth curled up. He drew out two small daggers, went over to the monster, still struggling vigorously and glaring at him with bulged eyes, and stabbed them through its throat._

"_Damn critics," He muttered: "They know nothing about art."_

_He turned his head around, and watched the remaining foe with some interest: "One left. A hezrou."_

"_That's this one?" Leela shouted from somewhere behind the beast's towering body._

"_Hezrou," The dreamwalker snickered: "Some creatures from Abyss that looks like a toad who had a little bit too much to eat all its life. Also they had probably one of the ugliest and thickest hide. They made trolls looks breathtakingly beautiful in comparison!"_

"_This is one of them?" The air genasi sounded astonished: "Good gods, I thought Sand and Deekin were joking when they told me the tales. Those little drawings they did on the scrolls didn't do them any justice."_

"_We can have all the time we need to chat over this after this stinky lazy thing is being dealt with," Gannayev yelled back: "Unless you don't mind letting your audience determine the play!" _

"_Absolutely not!" Blizzard began to whirl in the theatre after some low murmur echoed across the room. The druid had cast an Ice Storm spell. The blue hagspawn grinned. He drew out his quarterstaff and darted his way toward the giant beast. _

_The hezrou snarled, raised its two large fists and hammered the ground vigorously, trying to see if it could mash the two of them into dying. Leela carefully took off her Drow bow 'Forever' and fired a few shots at the troll-like beast. The giant monster roared in pain. This clear liquid that oozed out of its blisters seemed ignited rather easily. Within minute the being was cowered in flames. The dreamwalker's staff weapon probed through the thickening smoke and scythed into its thick skin. The air genasi replaced her bow with her swords again and began to attack, too._

_However, they soon realized it took very little effect on the giant monster. Despite being torched and almost blinded by the flaming arrows, the stubborn beast still towered over them like a thick wall. _

"_I can't see a thing," Leela glinted her eyes, trying to see if the Abyss creature had been slaughtered: "It still stands there. Hells and damnation! How long do we have to hack to kill this thing!"_

"_Douse the fire, my sweetling," Gannayev cast another Blizzard spell and promptly stopped the smoke from further suffocating everyone in the theater: "Now we can see everything fine. Anyone happened to have an axe I can borrow?" He looked around and found one lying near the dead audience. The dreamwalker quickly dashed across the stage, carefully avoiding several fist blows from the monster. He picked up the weapon, strode back to the hezrou and started another round of attack. The giant waved its hands, trying to swipe the blue hagspawn away as if he was an ant. It was unsuccessful. The spirit shaman leaped and rolled away from his clutch. However, the corner of his draping robes caught by the creature's claw and torn off. He managed to steady himself, slanted a sideway-glance at his battered clothes and swore._

_The air genasi hoisted one of the wooden benches piled near her with her long legs, aimed it at the large monster and kicked. The chair landed on its back and smashed into pieces. The beast turned and made a loud growl. Leela quirked her brow, gestured the hezrou to attack, challenged the being to charge. The giant roared, abandoned the blue hagspawn and thump its shield-size hand at her._

_The druid darted away, erected several set of firewall between the Abyss creature and her. She leaped around the nearby broken crate and started to climb up. When she reached the top, the air genasi sprung into the mid air and launched herself toward the hezrou._

_She heard Gannayev below call out, trying to warn her off. But she ignored him, straddled herself at the hezrou's back, clamping the giant's neck with her long slender legs, both her melee weapons sank deep into the back of its skull. Blood oozed and splattered everywhere. The beast below her trembled, stumbled forward, crushing down with its face downward and shook violently before finally stop breathing._

_For a while, at least until the splinters and dust settled, no one dared to move, or utter any sound. Eventually, the blue hagpsawn strode forward and approached the druid, who was soaked with blood and still quite stunned for killing a giant almost single handedly without most of her companions._

"_Lee?" He called out, tentatively. His soft fingers touched hers: "Are you quite alright, my sweetling?"_

"…_Why in the world can't I have some pleasant dream, Gann?" The air genasi murmured grumpily: "Like strolling through the woods or fishing by the lake? Instead I get to slaughter those unspeakable hideous beasts and cover myself with blood. Not to mention I smell no where near a proper woman should smell!" _

"_That, could be easily arranged," Gannayev evidently sighed with relief, before giving her a tooth-bearing grin: "once this is all done. I have a couple of lovely spots in my mind. Am pretty sure you would love it."_

_The air genasi managed to slide off the dead hezrou's body and she allowed the dreamwalker to assist her toward an crate somehow managed to withstand all the tarnish._

"_Now, what do we do with those three?" She tilted her head toward the three performers, who were still standing at the edge of the stage, their faces remained expressionless._

"_The Betrayer _will_ return," The actor in the middle, who portrayed Zoab, nodded: "and we will wait for him, as we promised."_

"_What?" Leela frowned: "Why are they still reading lines? Are they aware the play is already finished?"_

"_I am not sure, to be honest." The creased between Gannayev's brows also deepened: "in theory we should be—wait, where does he go?"_

_In front of their widened eyes, the air genasi and the dreamwalker saw Zoab fade into nothingness. They looked around, tried to see if he materialized elsewhere. But the actor seemed to vanish into the thin air._

"_We will watch for the opening of the gate." The actor who played Rommaq was the next who disappeared._

_Sensing the pattern, Leela gazed at the remaining performer, the actress who played Sey'ryu the blue dragon, who grinned at her vaguely and swept her arms._

"_Look for us, on the day the Betrayer returns," Her body began to fade as well: "We will storm the City of Judgment at his side, and our oaths will be fulfilled at last!"_

_And with that, she was gone._

"_Strange dream, you think?" Gannayev shrugged: "Quite powerful, too. And so much truth in it."_

"_You reckon?" The air genasi turned and looked at the blue hagspawn's handsome profile._

"_I reckoned, my sweetling," The dreamwalker returned her gaze. They locked with hers for a little while, before he suddenly reached out, his knuckles feathery brushed along her cheek. Leela caught her breath, feeling the heat transferred through his hands to her face…_

"_Now those blood spatters are out of your face," Finally, he said: "I see the portal had opened at last." He pointed at the shimmering silver hallo hovering just in front of the main entrance across the performance chamber: "Better go onward, yes?"_

"_Where do you think this one is going?" The druid sighed, trying to focus on the task ahead._

"_Don't have a slightest idea whatsoever," Gannayev shrugged: "Let's hope there's no more ugly trolls waiting for us on the other side, no?"_

"_Better not," Leela grumbled as they stepped past the humming portal, allowing the unseen forces tugged them forward, once again tossed them around the void…_

* * *

"_Arh, here we are," Gannayev's lilted voice echoed next to her ears as she returned her consciousness. They were back to the Coven's audience chamber again, much to her relief. She looked over her shoulder and saw the blue hagspawn strolling across the stone pavement and halted when he came to her side: "My apologies about the journey. It seems that the dreamscape in Slumbering Coven are a little tricky to navigate." _

"_No harm done," The druid frowned and scanned around her again: "Now where the deuce are we? Aren't we supposed to be in those thralls's dream?"_

"_The hub, I believe," Replied the dreamwalker thoughtfully: "This is the dreamscape where all three of them share." _

"_I don't' see any of them are awake." Leela pointed at the thralls stood by the device. Sure enough, all of them appeared to be sleeping and swung back and forth with their gentle breathing. _

"_No they are not, for they are still trapped in their own dreams," Gannayev turned his head and looked at her. His deep cerulean eyes gleamed with calmness: "We will need to enter their dreams, one at a time."_

"_I see."_

"_So which one would you like to go first?" The blue hagspawn eyed the three sleeping thralls again: "The bard, the wizard, or the illithid?"_

_Leela eyed the illithid, suddenly remembering the certain githzerai cleric with the cool green-yellow eyes. The corner of her mouth curled up. _

"_The illithid." She replied._

* * *

_They were inside what seemed like an abandoned mine tunnel, with their back flat against the wall. Daring to breath hard, they watched as a lizard like shadow gliding across the wall in the adjoining passage. Seconds later, a large figure of githyanki walked past them, with a torch in its hand. Its scales were pale under the dime light. Its blood shot eyes glowered in crimson light. It darted around the darkening space, checking for any movement._

_Behind Leela, the illithid gulped nervously. The four-tentacle twitched and flared at the sound of every step made by the mindslayer's soft boot. She slanted a sidelong glance at the creature next to her. Up until now she had never met any of the illithid in her life. Seeing one this close made her made her wonder how this particular one managed to get himself into this mess with all the lovely mind controlling ability threaded in his blood. The air genasi found it rather ironic, when she first heard the mind flayer's plea for help, that it was the other way around in those octopus-like head creatures dream, or the scenario those hag had managed to trap him in. She had learned this part of Gith history all too well, when she had a piece of their holy sword embedded in her most part of her life and was being called Kalach-Cha at one time. She had been chased, forced out of her hometown and tossed into situations she could not honestly imagine, all because of this lovely shard and the history behind it. It was really funny how things turned out in life sometimes. _

"_Looks like he's gone," She whispered quietly as the sound of footsteps getting distant: "Let's go."_

_They emerged from the hiding spot, stealthy moving along the wall and following the rail track up the dark tunnel. The small light orb she had summoned cast a shimmering glow around the three of them as they ascend. The air was thick with mildew and dampness. Gods, how could that be possible? Could one smell in their dreams? _

"_This is the right track, am I correct?" She spoke to the illithid over her shoulders: "The one that lead to your escape door?"_

"_Yes," The mind flayer murmured: "Can we hurry? I am worrying the githyanki will return." _

"_This tunnel is long, my dear friend." Gannayev's amused voice piped up from the back: "It will take a while for the mindslayer to realize he might had missed something. Arh…here we are." He pointed at the large heavy wooden door at the end of the passage._

_The illithid beamed, suddenly free of worry and fears: "Thank the elder brain! I am free and safe at last!" _

_He rushed forward, pulled the door open and disappeared out of sight before Leela and Gannayev could blink._

"_That was fast," The air genasi chuckled._

"_He didn't even express his gratitude!" The blue hagspawn rolled his eyes: "What was the point of thanking, what he called it, the elder brain, if we were the ones who came to save him?"_

"_Good point," The druid laughed: "That's not how their mind function, though. The elder brain is like…arh…their elders in the illithid society. It's very mind flayers ultimate dream to become one with one of them. Since their minds are all connected, no doubt it will know what happened here. A friend of mine had the fortune to meet one of those giant brain-like matters once. In the Underdark, an underground space below Toril. Though how they managed to get there is a wonder to me."_

"_I have heard of it, you know, " The dreamwalker frowned: "Even had the privilege to witness a few in one of those merchants' dreams. Not very pleasant to look at, I must say."_

"_Aren't you lucky," Leela clicked her tongue: "From what I was told I will never wish to meet them at all in my lifetime." _

"_Humph," Gannayev laughed, before both of them noticed portal materialize in front of the exit door: "Here comes our escape door."_

"_I am so glad there weren't any giant monsters for us to wrestle with this time," The air genasi mused as she felt the coolness of the portal energy surged past her: "Let's hope those hags keep it that way, aye?" _

"_What happened to that lovely elder brain your friend met, by and by?" Asked the blue hagspawn as he followed the druid through the device._

"_Oh, that one," She replied: "My friend, his traveling companion, and his boss killed the thing. Mashed it into puree."_

"_Ewe."_

"_Indeed."  
_


	49. Chapter 49

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter****Forty–Nine – Araman**

_Leela felt the cooling sensation washed through her body, knowing she had stepped across the portal. For a moment, the vast space before her appeared to be pitch black. Once she got used to the dim torchlight, the druid noticed her surroundings looked vaguely familiar. As the damp mildew rushed through her nostrils, she could hear the faint cry echoed from the dark corridor above the steps behind her. Frowning, she slowly moved across the slippery stone floor and stared at the four giant skeleton pillars erecting on both sides of the chamber. Against the corner, there were several sarcophagus, covered with dust and cobber webs, lined up quietly half in the shadows._

"_I think," The air genasi opened her mouth thoughtfully as she gave the surroundings one more observation: "I think we are in the Death God's Vault." _

"_Shadow Mulsantir?" Beside her, Gannayev arched his brow: "I do not recall we've been to this room."_

"_Neither do I, and I don't believe this is one of the thralls' dreams either," The druid glinted her eyes and looked toward the end of the room, where a rather large gate stood. It was very similar to the gate they had seen in the Shadow Plane- dark door panel gleamed even in the dim light and etched with curving runes. But somehow the carvings were different: "I suspect this was what was below the level we were in, where the strange locked door separated us."_

_Gannayev hmphed, rubbing his chin: "It figures. This thing…this portal of some sort here, I seriously doubt it is native to our world, or even in the realm of dreams…Hey …who's that?" He pointed his fingers at the figure in front of the door._

_It was only when Leela noticed a red robbed stranger: "I honestly don't know. Suppose we'd better find out."_

_They approached the person. Upon sensing their presence, the figure did not started, nor turned. He continued to look at the gate before him and let out a long sigh._

"_It began here," He rattled on: "I stood at the Betrayer's side - at my brother's side. They were gathered around us... celestials, dragons, mortals both alive and dead. Did the room expand to hold such a host? Or is my memory too small?"_

_He slowly turned. And Leela saw an aged man with strange tattooed eyebrows and on his head. They were very similar to Safiya's, but the pattern were slightly different. His wrinkled face was expressionless. The lines around his eyes showed he was happy once. His eyes were silver-grey, with dark shadows beneath them. They were the only feature that showed slightest emotions: sorrow, confused and despair. _

_Suddenly the air genasi knew who he was: "You are Araman…a Red Wizard of Thay. You're the one who usurped Safiya's Academy."_

"_You heard of me?" One corner of Araman's mouth curled up: "I am astounded. Perhaps I am more renown than I thought I was." _

"_Araman? Somehow I have always pictured you younger, and slightly more dashing," Gannayev smirked: "Not as dashing as me, of course." _

"_We had encountered your… followers earlier," Explained Leela simply: "Thanks to them, we were aware of your… plot."_

"_I see," The old Red Wizard nodded, before turning his attention to the gate again: "I was not/i _always_i a Red Wizard. The last time I laid eyes on that door, I was nothing but a younger brother, the shadow of a better and wiser man."_

_He took a few steps forward, reached out his hand and brushed his fingers against the rune carvings on the door panel: "We stand before the Betrayer's Gate… door that should not be. Rest your eyes upon its edges and its grooves, watch them carefully, and you will see the wrongness." He grasped one of the spikes and closed his eyes: "Death and life flow together in this simple slab of rock. Pass through it, and you will see the place of final judgment."_

"_The play," The air genasi suddenly understood: "I can see it now. I met three generals who said they would 'await the opening of the Gate.' This door... is this the Gate they meant? The… Betrayer's Gate?"_

"_Yes," Araman's eyes snapped open: "My brother's generals await his return, as he commanded them. They wait in vain... my brother cannot return, he is... gone."_

"_Gone?__"__ The druid tilted her head sideway: "What do you mean, _gone_?__"_

_But the old Red Wizard seemed oblivious to her question. He began to look at the length of the gate again, tabbing his lower lip with his fingers. His face looked bleak, stern, and for some reason… remorseful?_

"_The gray city, and its wall of screaming souls. Some call it the Fugue Plane, but its names have been many, and the priests of the Death God remember them all," He mumbled, shaking his head: "Passage to that forlorn realm is granted only by death, but this Gate provides another way, a forbidden way... a way that my brother opened with his silver blade…"_

"_The Sword of the Gith." Leela breathed, almost inaudibly. _

_Araman still didn't hear her: "I swear to you… if I could take it back… if I could make him see…"_

_Suddenly, the staled air in the room stirred. The ghosts whispered around them, murmuring disturbance once again at their wake. Leela turned around, and saw another red robbed person ascending down the worn stone steps behind them. This time it was a woman. The same woman they had seen in another dreamscape. The same woman that murmured riddles to them, and handed them a piece of a mask._

_Gannayev next to her made a sharp breath intake. He seemed to recognize her, too._

_The woman did not seem to notice them this time. She went straight to Araman, her gaze was intense and scorn._

"_You?__"__ She smiled sadly: "Make _him_ see? Araman, you flitting shadow... you were nothing but a leaf borne by a great storm."_

_The old Red Wizard of Thay sprung, tearing his attention away from the Betrayer's Gate and to the woman._

"_Not__to destroy!" He cried: "To set things right! How could I choose my brother over my god? Yes, I was feeble, flitting thing when I passed through that door. I was born by my brother's storm, but I _learned_ from his folly. He set mortal love above the gods, so he _paid _the price. And we paid with him. You and I." _

"_They are talking riddles," Leela whispered to Gannyev: "Any idea what is the deuce they are rambling about?"_

"_I think I've heard of it, more or less," The blue hagspawn hissed back: "I will fill you up on the lore once we get out of this."_

"_You'd better." The air genasi quirked one snowy eyebrow._

"_But now, my sweetling, I think they are expecting you to say something." The dreamwalker gestured the two red robbed figures before them, both glaring at the druid expectantly._

"_WHAT?" Leela's eyes widen in shock: "Now they want me to talk. What am I supposed to say?"_

"_Use your logic," Ganneyev tilted his head toward the two people: "But be cautious, Lee, I think choosing one over the other will lead to bloodshed in this dream, and it might affect how we exit this realm."_

"_Charming." The air genasi grunted._

"_Am I not always?" The blue hagspawn made a flourish bow._

_The druid rolled her eyes heavenward, before turning her attention to Araman and the woman in red again: "Arh… let's get the fact right, Araman, you are hunting her because your god command it?"_

"_Yes," Araman stared at her for some time before answered her query slowly: "I faltered once, for love of my brother, but the_ lesson_ of the Crusade - and of my brother's suffering - has reforged my will and my faith. Understand this - I _cannot _betray my god again."_

"_I see," Leela humphed. She began to pace as she progressing the information: "And Safiya... or whoever you are. The Betrayer would have wanted for you to be kept safe?"_

"_He wanted nothing more," The woman's face suddenly looked sad: "All he did… all he suffered…was for love."_

_Leela looked at both of them in turn, before turning her head and hissing at Gannayev again: "I cannot decide! Both of them have their reason, and look at them, Gann, they both are suffering. How can I pick side?"_

"_Perhaps you can explain this to them," The blue hagspawn encouraged. He reached out his hand and wrapped them around her shoulders, gave them a tight squeeze: "See how they react, and then you can make up your mind."_

"_A fair point," The air genasi replied with a small smile before turning her attention back to the two red robbed people before them again._

"_You are both suffering, but the fault is not your own," Said the druid: "Would the Betrayer want this strife between you?"_

_The woman in red frowned, and shook her head: "No, he wouldn't."_

_Araman on the other hand, seemed furious: "What my brother desired... how can that matter? My brother wanted to uproot the planes and tear down the gods from on high. Suffering cannot be avoided—it can be minimized, yes, but the universe cannot be torn asunder for the sake of one soul!"_

"_Yes, but you helped him, have you not?" Asked Leela: "he trusted you, and you helped him. You did this willingly. So why all the anguish?"_

"_I…"_

"_You're hiding behind philosophy and abstraction," The druid looked into his eyes: "However you justify yourself, you've betrayed your brother's trust. Should he be here now, he would be disappointed in you."_

"_NO!" Araman shouted back: "No. Some choices... they are simply wrong. Love may make them more difficult to resist, but they are still _wrong_. __My brother's quest was selfish! Absolutely selfish! He did not consider the consequences to those who followed in his wake! And _she_," he pointed at the red robbed woman: "she is selfish, too! She sows suffering in love's name. Let the heavens fall and roast in the pits of hell—if love was served by such as this, she would care _not_!__"_

"_Araman!" The red woman cried: "Have some senses! He had twisted your mind! The god had turned you against those you loved!"_

"_NO!" The Red Wizard thundered. His hands stretched out and began to fire spells at once. The woman in red leaped in front of them and chanted out the counter spell. The two effects collided, sending fires and explosions around the room. _

_Several dark shadow-like rogue figures sprang from the mist trapped in the corners and launched their attacks on Leela, Gann and the woman in red, who, the air genasi was now convinced, must had some relation to Safiya. She recited the first spell that came into her head, erecting several firewalls to stop the shadow rogues from advancing, while throwing daggers past the flames to cut down their numbers. Gannayev summoned two giant air elementals to assist the fight. The two powerful entities marched toward the attackers, tearing whatever that was in the path._

_Araman snarled. He waved his hands and light blasted from his bendy fingertips. The heavy lids of the sarcophagus flew away and smashed against the damp stonewall. The skeletons lying inside stood up, stepped out of their resting place, and staggered toward them. Leela shot a dagger at one of their weapon hands. The walking carcass swayed slightly and dropped the long sword. The druid smiled and cast another spell. This time the gnarling vine blot out of her hand and pinned the bone frame against the wall tightly._

_The woman in red managed two shadow rogues and slain them on her own. She turned and murmured some syllable that was foreign to Leela's ears. A fiery red orbs began to form at the palm of her hand and grew bigger as the time progress. The old Red Wizard's expression changed soon it became obvious to him what the spell was._

"_You did not…" He swore: "It was strictly forbidden! He did not… he could not…"_

"_Oh, he didn't," The woman smiled, half at the memory still vivid in her head: "But I watched when he didn't notice, and I was clever enough to figure out the rest."_

_The ball continued to expand, circling and spinning as it grew; to a degree it nearly took out the entire room. Then the red woman gave it a little push. It flew straight toward Araman. The Red Wizard screamed, trying to will his strength to push it back. But it was evident his opponent's ability was greater than his. The blob continued to advance, and soon cornered the old man near the gate._

"_NO!" His ear-shattering yell echoed throughout the room the moment the orb's surface made contact with his outstretch hands. His wrinkled fact scrunched up, as if he was in terrible pain. The ball continued to sallow him bit by bit, soon the old Red Wizard was trapped inside the firing ball, panting and cursing. But none of the sound reached their ears outside._

_The Woman in red rob then flicked her finger. The orb burst and disappeared into the thin air, taking Araman with it._

"_And love overcomes," The woman sighed as she straightened herself: "as it always must."_

"_This," Gushed Gannayev: "is simply the most astonishing piece of magic I've ever witnessed in my entire life!"_

"_Do not over concern yourself about him," The red robbed woman waved her hand vaguely: "This is merely one of his many shadows, his real soul was somewhere beyond this plane. Whatever I had just cast upon him did not do any damage on his actual self."_

"_I see." Leela still staring at the spot where the orb vanquished disbelievingly. _

_The woman then simply beamed: "We will meet again, child. Do not trouble yourself. All soon will be revealed."_

_And she, too, have disappeared._

"_Now will be good," The air genasi sighed._

"_Good what?" Gannayev looked at the druid with an arched eyebrow._

"_The lovely dreams you promised me not very long ago." Leela looked at the blue hagspawn seriously for some time before her face suddenly broke into a smirk._

"_Oh, that!" The dreamwalker winked: "once we are out of this mess, I will arrange it the first thing. But now," He pointed at the familiar port materialized in front of them: "Our next journey awaits, my dear sweetling." _

_The air genasi sighed: "I suppose we should move on then."_

"_Look at the bright side, Lee," Gannayev smiled: "we get to spend all these time, alone, without the presence of any other annoying company."_

"_What," The druid's eyebrow shot up: "You don't consider those strange people popping up in dreamscape are annoying then?"_

"_No, not at all," The blue hagspawn shook his head. A hint of mischief twinkled in his eyes: "I've seen worst."_

"_Oh, really?" Leels somehow did not convinced._

"_Oh, yes," Gannayev chuckled: "Besides…"_

"_Besides?"_

"_Admit it," The blue hagspawn looked into her eyes, suddenly reaching out his hand and brushing his knuckles against her cheek: "You like being alone with me."_

_Leela stared back and shivered, suddenly feeling herself blushed prettily: "I do." She admitted._

"_Aha," Gannayev murmured. He slowly tilted her chin up; his eyes became intense and dark. He tilted his head and brushed his lips past hers softly before letting her go: "so do I. Now, where shall we go next?"_

"_If I recalled correctly," The air genasi blinked, trying to steer her mind back to the present state: "We have two thralls left. One bard, and one wizard."_

"_I will pick the bard," The blue hagspawn drawled: "we might get some nice song to listen to if we are lucky, don't you agree, my sweetling?"_

"_Hmph, I suppose so," Leela walked toward the portal: "Onward, then."_

* * *

_The druid arranged the order of the card in her hands. She chewed on the corner of her mouth, trying to decide if this was the final time before announcing it to the bard sitting on the other side of the table. _

"_We have enough gold, do we?" She leaned back to her chair, whispered to Gannayev, who hovered over her shoulder to look at the cards in her hand. His warm breath tickled her ear, stirring her senses and concentration._

"_This is dreamscape, my dear sweetling," The blue hagpsawn hissed back: "Do not worry about them. I can conjure some should you need any more."_

_They were, as per dreamwalker suggested, in the bard's dream—a tavern like place where the only patrons were them. The human seemed obsessed with playing card games. Especially one he invented himself: Hells. The rules were quite simple: He picked the hells name and arranged it certain order, she tried to pick the same, names and orders, to match his. To be honest, she wasn't particularly good at games like this. In the past there was usually Neeshka, or Bishop, who did it on her behave. But none of them were here today, and Durller, the human bard's name, insisted that she should play with him. She had spent the last few hours to guess her opponents' pattern and she believed she had finally gotten the hang of it. She had correctly guessed them a few times. And from the poor man's stormy expression, he was just about to have enough._

"_Let's see," Leela murmured to herself: "He never chooses Avernus, the first plane of hell; he never chooses a duplicate in his combination…"_

"_And he will always choose Nessus, the last plane of hell, first." Gannayev concluded by her ears, in a almost inaudible low voice._

"_Right," The air genasi nodded: "I then I think it will work this time." She then turned to Durller: "Here are my cards."_

"_Damnation!" The bards threw his hands in the air: "You won again! I cannot believe it! I give up! This loss had put me in the Abyss, not Hells! At least I still have clothes on my back, I suppose I should count myself fortunate… unless you would like to wager for them?"_

"_Thanks, but no thanks," Leela smiled as Gannayev rolled his eyes heavenward: "I am pretty happy with my own clothes."_

"_Tst-Tst," Durller laughed and pushed himself away from the wooden table: "Never mind that, I'll be captured by a hag if I step out of this inn in my skivvies. Well, sir, I suppose I've no need to wish you good fortune, for you've taken all of mine."_

_He shrugged, turned and left the tavern._

"_Phew, this one was easy," The blue hagspawn let out a sigh of relief._

"_Are you sure?" Leela slanted him a sidelong glance: "I just spent hours staring at those damn cards. I swear next time… no, there will never be a next time. No card game for me, ever."_

_The dreamwalker chuckled, took a step back to allow the druid to stand up. The two of them slowly walked toward the portal, which now glimmering brilliantly in front of the tavern door._

"_Where do you think we will be ending up this time?" Asked the air genasi, with her head tipped to the side._

"_Hmph…" Gannayev frowned slightly: "From the pattern we've just been through, it will be another one of those strange one, no doubt."_

"_The dreams that supposed to be part of my memory, but I had no recollection whatsoever?" Leela sighed: "how fascinating. I can hardly wait."_

_Gannayev laughed. He put his arms around the air genasi's shoulder and steered her toward the portal: "Let's go then, shall we? We will never find out if we linger here."_


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N **Chapter 50, another milestone. Thank you for those who still following this story. I truly appreciated it.

* * *

**The**** Beast ****Within**

**Chapter ****Fifty**** –****The ****Traitor**** In ****The ****Wall**

_It was the noise that hit Leela first, before her eyes even adjusted to the sudden brightness._

_The sound was hoarse and deep and full of despair, pain, sorrow, rage, and utter frustration. It drummed in their ears, and felt like it might be echoing though every corner of the dreamscape. It took the air genasi a few seconds to register those were screams from men. She looked around, trying to locate the source through the dense mist, and failed fruitlessly. The air was damp, cold, and filled with stench of rotten flesh that made you swoon. The land around them was stripped bare. There was no greenery of any kind as far as they could see. Beneath them, the ground was sandy and dry. It was like nowhere they had ever been._

"_Alright, where the deuces are we now?" She muttered under her breath: "That noise is killing me!"_

"_Other than this is actually some broad daylight for a change?" Gannayev tried to cover his ears and grimaced: "I honestly have no idea."_

_The druid looked around, trying her hardest to figure out some direction in the thick fog: "I think the noise comes from that way."_

"_Wait," The blue hagspawn reach out and covered his palm over her ears. His eyes looked intent and thoughtful for a moment. He then closed his eyes and murmured something that was inaudible with all the voices around them. Leela felt surge of gushing sound rushing past her ears. Immediately the screams sounded distanced._

"_Muffling spells," A small smile flew upon his face when the air genasi blinked astonishingly: "A traveling Drow wizard I met a while ago taught me. Useful when you are facing some creatures that took particular pleasure in shrieking their lungs off. You can still hear voices, but they will no longer break your eardrums."_

"_Thank you." Said the druid at length before she turned around and continued her exploration._

_It did not take them long to locate the source of the despaired moans as well as the smells. It was from a wall of some sort, but unlike any wall they had ever seen. The barrier felt… alive. It moved and stirred as the sound emitting from within. Leela was drawn to it and realized in horror it was made of men, hundreds and hundreds of men as far as she could see. They were crunched and stuffed together into odd angles. Their limbs were twisted and bended to the extreme to fit into the confined space, they no longer joined up with whatever body they belonged. Some of them appeared to melt into a substance of green mold. It caused them great pain. The agonized cry joined the screams resonating around the druid's ears._

"_By gods!" Behind her, Gannayev gasped: "What's…what's this?"_

_Sensing someone was near, the trapped men moved, struggled to push themselves forward. Sound of pleas grew even louder. Hands, half melting, broke free from the wall and tried to reach the air genasi's cloak._

"_This," Suddenly felt cold, Leela wrapped her arms around herself: "This must be the Wall of Faithless. The punishment cast upon those who do not have a divine patron in the afterlife."_

"_How do you know this?" The dreamwalker looked that her quizzically._

"_It matched the description we were told since we were little." Said the air genasi simply: "Surely you've heard of it?"_

"_As you might be aware, I wasn't raised by mortals. The spirits do not have such a colorful bedtime stories when they tried to coo me to sleep." The blue hagspawn's lips curled up wryly._

"_Not even in those dreamscapes you had visited?" _

_The__ man__ shook __his __head:__ "__And__ no,__I__ don__'__t __think__ I__'__ve __been__ here __before_ at all _The __only __way__ to __actually __see __this __one__ is __having __someone __to __kill __you __successfully.__ So __far __other __than __a __pile __of__ fallen __debris __and__ two__ strange __women,__ no __one __had __come__ anywhere__ near.__ "_

"_Humph," Gannayev narrowed his eyes: "I suppose you haven't. But what about those thralls? Surely—"_

_The __dreamwalker__'__s __words __were __suddenly __interrupted__ by__ someone__'__s __cry __from__ the __wall. __Somehow,__ among__ all __the __noises __and __commotion__ around__ her, __the __familiar__ voice __managed __to __penetrate __through:__ "_Leela… Leela?_"_

_Leela __stiffened __and__ slowly__ shook __her __head. _No, this couldn't be, of all people, of all places, she certainly did not expect to meet him. _Actually,__she__ did__ not __thought __she __would __hear __from__ him__ again__ at __all. __He__ was __dead. __Surely__…_

_"_Let me tell you, my sweet. I belong to the Wall of the Faithless!_"_

_Suddenly, memory of him joked sarcastically about his life after death jerked into her head. The dark ranger had told her time and time again, that he believed in nothing, nothing at all… _

"_Bishop?" Before any rational part of her could respond, she sprung around; her heart was in her throat. Suddenly, nothing, her quests, her journey, the ground she was standing on, nothing mattered. She began to search frantically along the long wall, longing to locate the source of the hoarse voice. _

"BISHOP!_"_

* * *

_It did not take Leela long to locate the voice. Near one of a large wall towers that supported the walls, she found the rogue at the base of a massive rock structure. Half encased in the greenish mold, Bishop's limbs were twisted at odd angles, as if they are broken. His face— frozen in a grimace of pain—barely cleared the surface of the Wall, like the face of a drowning man, grasping for air. _

"_No… No…" Panic washed over her. Her voice was running away with her and the tears were pricking at the back of her eyes. She quickly kneeled beside him and began to paw away the green mold that was threatening to engulf him. It was hopeless. As more substance she managed to remove, twice more the Wall replaced. _

"_Leela…" His face turned and his eyes met hers. The air genasi gasped. All colors had drained from his hair and his flesh. One of his eyes was completely white and budging: "Didn't…didn't expect to see you again, here of all places. Are you…?"_

"_No, Bish, I am alive." The druid took a deep breath: "Bishop, I saw you die. You were in my arms. You died. How—."_

"_Guess I picked the losing side," The dark ranger shrugged: "Go on, gloat. I would do that if the tables were turned." _

"…_You did not have to die, Bish," Leela gulped: "You returned…Why did you return?"_

_Instead of answering, Bishop suddenly noticed Ganneyev, who slowly came to the air genasi and stood quietly one step behind her. A hint of jealousy and sadness flickered past his remaining eye. It narrowed and turned aggressive._

"_And who's this?" His tone returned to his old sarcastic one: "Don't tell me you already ditched Casavir for this hag-spawned wretch."_

"_By gods," Gannayev's jaw nearly dropped: "I know you. I've seen you countless times in—" _

"_In what?" Bishop looked at him suspiciously: "Good grief! A spirit shaman! You surely had some unique taste, my dear. Where is Casavir then? Did you leave him under the pile of rocks, just like the rest?"_

"_Bishop!" The druid stared at him with disbelief._

"_What? Was I not seeing it correctly?" Bishop mocked: "He was positively gawking all over you. With me out of the picture, surely he would seize the chance to claim you as his own?"_

"_He did. But I turned him down." Said Leela calmly._

"_What about this hagspawn?" The dark ranger sneered: "And blue color, too. You two could be such a dashing pair!"_

_The __air__ genasi __felt __herself __color__ and __was __about __to __answer,__when__ the __Wall __shuddered __and __convulsed.__ The__ twisted __figures __trapped __within__ cried __out __as__ one__ as__ the__ entire __wall _shifted_. __Limbs __trembled, __bones __cracked,__ and __the __greenish __mold__ expanded,__ covering __faces,__ eyes __and__ mouths.__ The __smirk __left __Bishop's __face, __replaced,__ for__ one __naked __moment, __by __wide-eyed__ fear._

"_Bishop!" The druid reached out her hands to cup the ranger's nape, trying to pull him out of the wall. Suddenly, lightning bolt shot out from one of the towers nearby to strike at her. Crying out in pain, she let go and once again her former companion sunk back to the wall._

"_Bare __with __me, __Bish, __I __will __get __you __out!__" __Leela__ struggled __to__ get __back __to __her__ feet, __ignoring __her __body __aching __and __threatening __to __collapse __at__ any __moment:__ "__This __is _MINE_dreamscape,__ I __can __get __you __out __of __this!__"_

"_No, Lee, do not, do not waste your time." Bishop's expression suddenly looked poignant: "I am not worth it."_

"_Fiddlestick! I swear I will get you out!"_

"_Lee,__listen __to __me, _LISTEN_" __The__ dark __ranger__'__s __face __suddenly __turned __serious:__ "__Can__ you __hear __it? __In __the __screams...__underneath__ the __screams?__" _

"_What do you talking about?" Leela was bewildered: "They are just screams."_

"_The reason you're here... they all know." Bishop shook his head: "If you listen… to the shrieks and the moans. It's not in the sounds themselves, it's in the pattern... lurking in the echoes, hidden behind their words. They are infected with hope… waiting for the Crusade to return."_

"_Wha—the Betrayer's Crusade?" The air genasi stared at him and blinked slowly: "You heard of the Betrayer's Crusade?"_

_Bishop's one good eyes lose focus. It seemed to look through her… beyond her. The screams and cries of the other souls became quieter, as if they were suddenly listening to the words. _

"_It ended here," He murmured: "This Wall… it _hungers_… it drains everything away."_

_A shiver trickled down Leela's spine. This was Bishop she had never seen before. Suddenly she wasn't sure if she was even talking to the dark ranger himself at all, or someone else entirely._

"_Your voice sounds different," Her gaze stayed on his face carefully: "Are you still Bishop, or someone else?"_

_For a moment, Bishop's eyes seemed to clear. He looked at the air genasi, took in her face with evident longing, as if for the first time._

"_You…" Said the ranger at length: "I saw you, in the Wall."_

"_What?"_

"_I saw you," Bishop tilted his head and continued to gaze at her in confusion: "But it was strange. You were a mask. Nothing but a mask."_

"_Wha—" Leela was once again cut short by the shudders of the Wall, and she heard a sickening crack as Bishop was drawn further back into the Wall. Panicking, the air genasi lunched forward, trying to grab the dark ranger, but it was too late. Green mold rushed in to cover his face and burst forth from his mouth in a noxious plume._

"_BISHOP!" She cried out: "No!"_

_The dark ranger's head shook and surge forward, appeared to manage to break free from the mold again: "They are coming. He had seen you, my love, the god of the dead, they are coming…"_

"_Just hold there, Bish," The druid summoned the gnarling vine, desperately attempting to pull him out._

"_LEAVE, Lee," Bishop urged: "They are coming, you have to leave!"_

"_NO."_

_The ranger sighed and suddenly looked at the blue hagspawn, his gaze was firm and determined._

"_She's all yours," His expression was grim and dead serious: "Treat her well, and keep her safe. She deserves someone better." He paused to watch as Gannayev gave him a slight nod: "Cause if you don't, you got me to answer to when your soul returns here, let me assure you that."_

_The ground shook. Along the Wall, a pit fiend and a horned devil appeared. Just like Bishop had said, someone was aware of Leela's presence and those two were sent to carry out their task to demolish the intruders._

"_Lee, I swear we cannot fend of those two on our own, we need to dash." Gannayev grabbed Leela's upper arm and tried to drag her away from the Wall: "Don't forget what we were here for!"_

"_I am not leaving without taking Bishop with me," Said Leela fervently: "Bish, hang it there, let me rid of these two nasty pests and I shall return."_

_She scrambled to her feet and scrubbed the tears off her face with the back of her hand like a tired child, before walking toward the snarling creatures with hands crackling with anger. The fiend growled and launched straight at her. The druid dodged, threw several daggers out, before casting Blizzard upon the creature. She then turned, murmured more enchantments to summon several air elementals to assist her attack before drawing out her swords for close attack. With the elementals distracting his movements and slowing him down, the air genasi sneaked around and leaped onto his back. The beast roared and began to breath hell's inferno. His scales suddenly became blistering hot. Some of the armor she wore immediately caught fire. The formal Knight Captain bit her lower lip, trying her hardest not to scream in pain, swinging both swords around and holding them backward, then stabbed them with all her might into the creature's temple. The monster stumbled and fell back. His body twitched for a few seconds before stopping moving._

"_Right, one down, one to go." Leela climbed off the dead fiend and turned her attention on the remaining horned devil. She noticed the air elementals had moved to assist the blue hagspawn and the three of them managed to trap him back toward the Wall. A large slash across the dreamwalker's ripped armor indicated the creature had successfully attacked him once. She switched both swords into one hand and stretched out the empty one. Purple arrows bolt out from the tips of her fingers and smashed flat onto the beast's chest, pushing him even further back. The giant imp snarled and struggled to regain his balance, for the souls embedded into the Wall suddenly broke free, latched themselves onto the roaring being. They began to drag it back toward the moving Wall. _

_Astonished, both the dreamwalker and the druid forgot to attack and stared at the unexpected turn of event, mouths open. They watched more and more souls surge from the greenish mold and attach themselves onto the growling devil, pushing him further and further into the substance that bound them with the Wall. The mold began to move and fill the creature's mouth, soon completely covering it, along with most of its large body. In the end, with a pop, the giant beast completely disappeared, totally swallowed by the moving Wall in front of them._

"_Well, that was… " Gannayev still staring at the empty space in front of him: "Are you alright, my sweetling?"_

"_I… I guess so… I think I am…"Leela panted: "What just happened?"_

"_You are asking me?" The blue hagspawn blinked: "This is the first time I've even seen this wall and now I just witnessed a devil being swallowed by gods know what coming out of this wall. Now I understand why spirits never told me about it. It would be a total nightmare to anyone."_

_The air genasi chuckled before reached out her hand to touch the dreamwalker's shoulder tentatively: "What about you, does this hurt?"_

_Gannayev smiled and did not reply. He moved his hand and covered the druid's with his. A slight tickle past through his palm. The wound began to close, leaving a rather ugly pinkish flesh scar._

"_I do not have enough strength to heal this all up," He shrugged when he noticed Leela was frowning: "No, don't even trying yourself, you are just as drained out as I am. Besides," He tilted his head toward the base of the tower: "better check on Bishop."_

"_Bish!" The air genasi jerked at her wake and bolted toward Bishop. The noxious green mold had closed over most part of the dark ranger's face and had, leaving one of his hands and his good eye protruding from the Wall. The hand contorted around an object that lied half-buried in the mold. She dug into the mold around Bishop's hand—the surface was soft, feathery like moss... but underneath it become firm, with hidden barbed edges, capable of tearing flesh, or holding it fast. _

_At last, the object broke free. It was a piece of a mask, pale and maggot-gray. It drunk in the light, as if hungering, but reflected none. Bishop seemed to relax visibly. His eye looked into Leela's longingly, filled with words that he was unable to express. She realized this would probably be the last time she ever seen him._

Goodbye, Leela, my love.

_Holding onto the object, the air genasi watched the dark ranger being completely absorbed into the Wall. Only a faint outline of his body remained, buried beneath a feathery blanket of mold. She stared at the outline for a while before closing her eyes, allowing tears to trickle down her cheeks._

_Gannayev silently reached out his arms and wrapped the druid in his embrace. Leela leaned back, sought comfort coming from the blue hagspawn's body. The two of them remained still for some time, without any of them saying a word._

"_Another mask fragment." Commented the dreamwalker when he finally looked at the object held in the air genasi's hand: "This mask may be more important than we initially thought, no?"_

"_We will show this to the others once we are back." Leela got back to her feet: "Oh, here is the portal. Come on, let's go."_

_They walked toward the exit in silence. Before they stepped past the gateway, Gannayev's hand found the air genasi's, with his fingers threaded with hers. _

"_Lee?"_

"_Yes, Gann?"_

_A slight hesitation: "…Nothing. Let's go."_


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N** Most of copyright here belong to Obsidian/Atari. Thanks for those who still follow. I truly appreciated it.

* * *

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Fifty- One –The Audience of the Coven**

_Leela blinked, caste curious glance around the hall and admired the familiar rune patterns on the stone pillars. They were back to the dark chamber of dreamers again. The neutral, shared medium space the thralls had shared. They were still in the dreamscape after all. But this time, there were no thralls around the floating hags. The covens were seen floating within the strange device this time, but the shimmering fields that protected them were gone. The low hissing noise indicated they were sleeping. Muttering a curse, she reached up her fingers and rubbed her temples._

"_We're still in dreamscape?" She sighed, turned and asked Gannayev the obvious over her shoulder in exhaustion. Suddenly one extra moment in this damnable place seemed indefinitely unbearable. _

"_Looks like it." The blue hagspawn frowned at what was in front of them._

"_And I thought we could wake up and hug happily with Safiya and the others by now." Leela shook her head and regarded the hags on central platform again: "No shiny protective spells around them this time, does that mean we can talk to them now?"_

"_There is only one way to find out." The dreamwarlker reached out his hand toward the air genasi and threaded his fingers with hers when she slipped her small hands into his. _

"_Ready, sweetling?"_

_The druid nodded: "You?"_

"_Absolutely."_

_They approached the hovering Coven together, and almost as soon as they were near, whispers stirred from every corner of the room and soon began to fill the room. There were hundreds of them, echoing and bounding everywhere. Gradually, they resolved themselves slowly into a single voice, which was prickling like a swarm of ants inside the skull._

"_Speak…" The hair-raising whispers were barely audible; yet somehow they could hear it. Leela had no doubt they were coming from the sleeping hags, but as she tilted her head and looked upon them, their lips remained unmoved and their eyes stayed firmly shut. _

_Beside her, the air genasi sensed Gannayev shift. His eyes flared with anger. Finally having met the people who were responsible for the providence of his life so far, the fair tempered blue hagpsawn appeared to be having some difficulties controlling his emotions. Somewhat understanding what went on inside his head, she gave him a slight nudge, gave him the opportunity to speak first. _

"_You are Slumbering Coven, the ones who had slept beneath Rashemen." He took a deep breath, and another, before opening his mouth and asking the question as bland as he could possibly manage. _

"_Yes." The voice resonated in their heads, sending another shiver down their spine._

"_The slayers of my father, the wardens of my mother, and the ones who punished her never to sleep, never to dream?" Continued the blue hagspawn, as his free hand clenched into fist. Leela's hands around his tightened, sending him unspoken support. He squeezed back._

"_Oh, yes." The coven sounded amused._

"_Why, she did not attack you, she did n—." The dreamwalkers words were interrupted by sudden rapture of laughter echoing around the vast chamber. For a moment they had to cover their ears to futilely block out the hair-raising noise._

"_Oh, she broke our law, SPAWN." The voice sneered maliciously: "The one you travel with - she is the product of such broken laws, as are you. Transgressions must be punished, or they are repeated."_

"_What of my father?" the dreamwalker asked another question: "what did you do to him? Is that true you made my mother devour him?"_

_The annoying laughter once again filled the room: "Oh, it is true. He is dead, and gone, by our law! As your mother gave in to her appetites, so was she forced to devour her own mate... in the manner of all hags, piece by piece, leaving just enough alive to scream! Foolish one! We made you watch! We made you watch!"_

_Gannayev glared at the floating hags for a moment and suddenly smiled—not the carefree, heart tugging one the air genasi usually saw, but the cold and furious one that made his enemy fear what was coming around the corner. A calm before the storm. Something Leela saw a lot on Bishop, but somehow it was the first time she saw it on the dreamwalker. He must be enraged with grief._

"_You are absolutely correct," He quirked his snowy eyebrow and nodded in agreement: "and that is why we are here to punish you."_

"_You?" The coven laughed spitefully: "No, not unless you want this place to unravel around you, to see all dreams, all the chambers of this city flooded and gone. To do so would kill you as well, and much further do we think you have to travel. Should we mention the one beside you? Oh, such a sweet, sweet dream you had about her. Does she know? Tsk-tsk-tsk.."_

_Gannayev went pale. His body was shaking uncontrollably, his hands rolled into fists and unrolled again. It was sometime before he was able to speak: "…By your law," he slowly uttered the words through his gritted teeth: "then all I wish is that same justice be brought upon you—and that you feel the same mercy."_

"_Such a big words from such a lesser being. Entertaining, truly entertaining, indeed!" The voice sniggered for some time before pausing for a moment and returning to the usual monophonic tone: "Now, enough of your questions, spawn. Your turn, spirit-eater."_

_Leela regarded the floating hags with a frown. They were dry as mummies; their features were as ludicrous as those masks she saw in the theater. Yet they were holding such strong powers, enchanting unsuspecting preys and invading their dreams. Punishing whomever they pleased as if they were Gods. Such ruthless and merciless creatures! _

"_Who and what are you?" She found herself asking out loud._

"_We?" The voice drawled: "We are the Coven, the Nine, who sleep and do not wake. We are the Endless Dream, ever-growing, ever living. All that we have seen, all that our dreams have touched, is held here, within our hoard. From the dreams of mortals, we salvage much… visions and hopes and memories. We take these things and gather them here, before mortal minds can forget them."_

"_So you walk unbidden through people's minds?" The air genasi arched her brow._

"_Oh, yes. Mortals are stupid, forgetful things." The Coven laughed slightly: "We walk in their dreams. And we take what they will only lose. Tsk-tsk."_

"_Then why did you show me those lost dreams?" The air genasi stared at them: "What do they mean?"_

_For the first time ever, the taunting tone sounded wary and uncertain: "We show you nothing. You showed us, and we drank deep… such was the price of your passage, and end of the words we speak to you now."_

"_Then those dreams... came from my mind?" Leela was surprised, for she honestly could not recall even being to those places, especially the Wall of Faithless…_

"_From its deepest places, yes... where dreams mingle with hidden and forgotten things" The voice sounded no longer interested to answer her questions. It seemed they were eager to usher them off. But to where? They were in dreamscape, of all places._

"_Your servant said that your dreams were disturbed... and that I was the cause. Is this true?" The air genasi insisted on._

"_Yes. You are a tempest of dreams," Replied the Coven: "a whirling storm, devouring dreams and dreamers alike. They swirl around you like leaves - tearing, shifting, and blending one into another. It is most maddening"_

"_We saw you reach out to devour the haunted witch…" The voice lost its calmness slightly as it continued on: "and sensed in your hunger the death of all dreams. When such as you walks the land, all that we try to preserve is lost." _

_Leela ran her hand through her silvery hair. It seemed those revolting hags were the only one who could shed some light to the mystery she had been chasing since she had woken up in that damn cave a lifetime ago. However unwilling and impatient, she would have to ask before she handed them over to Gannayev and watched them beg for his mercy, which she had no doubt there wouldn't be any._

"_Two women came before you, not long ago," She asked: "You gave them advice—something to do with me."_

"_Oh, yes." The voice replied: "The twins. The white one was Lienna. The red one was Nefris."_

"_Nefris? The mother of Safiya?" The air genasi was surprised._

_The Coven sniggered: "The pretty one... her dreams are scattered, nauseating to look upon. She knows not what she is."_

"_You confused me," The druid frowned and tilted her head: "Then Nefris and Lienna were sisters?"_

"_They were sisters, of a sort. And they were more than two" Replied the voice._

"_Arh…riddles." Leela growned: "Can't people speak plainly these days?"_

"_They saught to end your affliction… your hunger… to spare you from this suffering…" The Coven continued on._

"_Seriously?" Leela scratched the side of her nose: "By dragging me half way across Toril, stabbing me with a dagger, nearly bleeding me to death and transfering this damnable curse onto me before abandoning me in a telthor spirit infested cave? Spare me? How comforting."_

_The whispers seemed to draw back from their mind, separating themselves into many different voices again—for a few moments, they echoed back and forth across the chamber, as if conspiring amongst themselves. Then, abruptly, they resolved again into one._

"_We are the creatures of dreams, not of words." The voice sound slightly frustrated: " Telling is cumbersome. We will show you what you wish to know."_

"_Okay," The druid gestured: "Show me, then."_

_Out of thin air stepped two women, transparent and barely visible, one garbed in white, the other in red. Leela realised almost at once that she was seeing a dream, a memory—something that occurred here in the past._

"_See us, hags of the Coven, and know us for what we are." The woman in red called out._

"_We beseech your wisdom and bear gifts of dreams to trade..." The whit woman spoke next: "dreams of a sort even you have never seen."_

"_Your dreams are a treasure, unique in our hoard... like worlds seen through different facets of the same ancient stone." The voice replied in its usual passive, emotionless tone: "Your question resounds across the infinity of your dreams... but in this place, you must ask it aloud. Speak."_

_The women seemed to hesitate; they leaned their heads toward each other, discussing something in hushed tones for a moment before the white woman raised her head and looked at the hags with determination again._

"_We… we would like to know how to end this affliction… the curse that the Rashemi call the 'spirit-eater'. We have researched so long, sisters of the Coven, we—"_

"_Tell us how to end the hunger. How can the eater of souls be granted peace?" The red woman finished the question with a stern nod._

_Leela aware even in the hags memory, the whispering of the hags seemed to pause, growing quiet for a long moment, as if in reverence… or uncertainty, before the voice once again echoed through the vast chamber._

"_That affliction is a punishment, meted out by one who reigned as God of the Dead. He alone knows its beginnings, and he alone might bring about the end."_

_More puzzled regard was exchanged. And then the white woman spoke at length: "You speak of Myrkul. But… but he's dead."_

_The red woman was growing impatient: "We seek an answer, not a riddle. That God of the Dead has passed beyond thought or dream. He has been slain and his throne usurped - his knowledge is lost."_

"_Not lost." The voice explained: "Myrkul is a corpse, but his thoughts and dreams remain... marooned now inside the rotting hulk of his mind. He dreams endlessly of old enemies come to grief, and ancient slights avenged. As long as he is remembered and feared by mortals - even if they are pitiful and few - his dreaming will persist, and his mind shall endure."_

"_Then we must speak… to a dead god?" The white woman murmured, as if she was questioning herself._

"_It can be done." The red woman pawed her sister's hand before turned her head toward the Coven again: "That's all we need to know, Sisters of the Coven. Thank you."_

_Then the vision disappeared. For some time, Leela stared at the empty space in front of her, unable to think, let alone speak. In some way, she got her question answered. The curse can be resolved. Hasn't the red woman said 'it can be done?' But how? To see a dead god, she would have to be dead first. And she had no idea how to achieve that other than ran a dagger through her own heart._

"_Then this curse… is the result of one of your Gods?" Gannayev blurted out: "How many God of the Dead do your people have?"_

_Again the Coven chuckled: "Your people? The God of the Dead watch you, Gann-of-Dreams. All their laws, all their punishments, will fall on you, as well. And if you do not believe in them, then one of their harshest laws shall be inflicted upon you - to lie within the Wall of the Faithless until you dissolve as a fading dream. So keep your defiance, if you must, but it will not last when death comes for you, dream-thing"_

"_Did Lienna and Nefris succeeded? Did they speak to the dead god?" Leela asked._

"_That is a question we cannot answer." The voice was back to its passive and emotionless tone again: "The red twin had returned to Thay—to her Academy—a horror of endless voids and fractured souls. We are blind to all that passes there."_

"_She's dead." The air genasi recalled her encountered with the other Wizard of Thay in the theature: "A coup of some sort happened in the Academy." _

"_Arh…" The Coven sounded amused: "Interesting. Now the white twin—Lienna—"_

"_Dead, too." The druid sighed: "In the Shadow Mulsantir. Same coup."_

"_For the first time, you appear to know more than we do." The voice chuckled amusingly: "She kept portals in her secret room, in the shadow of her theater. One of them is open only to those who know where it leads. Beg passage from her Keeper of Doors, and he will open the way. Beyond that portal lies the Academy… and your answers. But we care not what you do, spirit-eater... we have spoken enough. You have troubled our dream too long"_

"_A few more questions, sisters of the Coven." Leela tilted her head._

"_Ask, then, spirit-eater, but do not expect us to receive you ever again." The voice sounded impatient._

"_Humph," The air genasi caste a sight glance at Gannayev before opened her mouth: " My companions, who fought the King of Shadows at my side, what has become of them?"_

"_We see them, in your mind's eye. But their dreams, if they live, are far beyond our grasp." The Coven drawled on: "The wilds of the witch-realm, the merchant kingdoms to the west, and Thay to the south... in these places, our dreams wander free. And our eyes rove even farther... but not that far. Not yet"_

"_Still, we sense… one of them. He is close. But he is shattered, ruined… severed. His dreams come only in flashes, and they are strangely… hidden from our sight."_

_Leela's heart suddenly went to her throat: "Bishop… do you mean Bishop?"_

"_Bishop!" The voice chuckled: "No. Another. The one you call Bishop is dead, dissolving in the Wall. You've seen that, have you? Or do you not believe in your dreams?"_

"_Dreams are not real." Said the druid stubbornly._

_The hags let out a bark of laughter: "Oh, they are real enough. Ask the walker of dreams next to you. He will tell ye!"_

_The air genasi staggered back a few steps, before managed to steady herself. Beside her, Gannayev reached out his hands and grabbed her shoulders. The familiar heat transferred through her armour. _

"_Lee," The blue hagspawn whispered: "you all right?"_

"_I am fine." Leela replied back, before turning her attention back to the Coven again: "Where is the Sword of the Gith now… and the Shard that was torn from my chest?"_

"_Sword and shard are tied to you... and to the others who have also borne the blade. The sword of Gith is not separated so easily from its wielder's hand..." The voice replied._

_Gannayev puzzled "The shard of Gith? What are they speaking about… wait, the small broken piece of sword they torn from your chest?" _

"_Yes." The druid nodded, brushed her hand through her brows._

"_Shard and sword had been rejoined… reunited with all their pieces. The blade was taken from you for this purpose, and it awaits you, re-forged… in a hidden sanctum, now besieged." The Coven continued on._

"_I see," Leela nodded: "one more question I've been told that there were other spirit-eaters before me. What do you know of them?" _

"_Other masks, yes. Many masks. We walked in their dreams, just as we have walked in yours." Said the voice: "Their faces were as varied as the mortals who infest the witch-realm... some prettier than yours, oh yes. And some fouler. All ended the same."_

"_How did they end?" The air genasi tilted her head._

"_You are utterly unlike us, spirit-eater." The hags mused: "We hoard, collect, preserve. To us, dreams are things to be treasured, torn from those who do not know their worth. But you devour and destroy, leaving nothing in your wake."_

"_Oh, thank you for the compliment, sisters of the Coven." Leela gave them a flourish bow: "I think I've done enough questions." She quirked her snow brow at Gannayev: "I think I will leave the rest to my dear companion."_

_Corner of the blue hagspawn's chiseled mouth curled up. He started pacing around the platform, mutterig some guttural sounds and calling out some ancient spells only dreamwalkers known._

_Traces of panic started to raise from the Coven's monotone: "Be warned, spawn. As we had informed you, if you end our dream, all that it contains is lost. Imagine... the dreams of a thousand, thousands souls, the knowledge of wizards and kings centuries dead, the hopes and loves of men and women and beasts... all contained within our unending dream. Such a trove has never been assembled, here or anywhere across the planes... this you would destroy, for your own selfish whim."_

_Leela grinned: "That sounds about right."_

"_So be it." Sparks began to crackle between the dreamwalkers hands: "My spirits are ready to fight with us—to their second deaths, if need be."_

_The voice began to shake: "You have not the power, nor the will! Stupid, arrogant thing... how many hundreds have tried to usurp our place, but we took their power, and absorbed their dreams."_

"_This one does not stand alone, but with me." Gannayev's hand again found hers: "I am no novice to the unraveling of the dreams and ambitions of others - together, you will not find us easy prey."_

"_Go on, do your best." Leela encouraged: "Make your parents proud."_

"_Indeed. Follow my lead, my sweetling." The blue hagspawn regarded the floating hags and narrowed his eyes. The velvet blue depths were filled with unshed fury: "This, is for my mother."_


	52. Chapter 52

** The Beast Within**

**Chapter Fifty- Two – Repayments**

Safiya huddled herself within the traveling coat a little bit tighter and cast a worrying look at the two unconscious bodies laying not very far from her feet. Leela and Gannayev had been asleep. They had entered their so-called dreamscape for some time. Apart from their occasional frowns and incoherent mumbles, it was rather difficult for the Red Wizard to tell what went on in that strange and surreal realm they were in. How far have then gotten now? Had they managed to free those thralls trapped inside the endless circle of nightmares? She tried to recall what she had learned from the Academy, but failed miserably in the gloom light. No, no one knew what it was like. People tend to forget their dreams once they were awake.

"They shall be fine." Kaelyn the Dove spoke up abruptly from the other side of the small fire they had conjured and wrenched her attention from the reverie.

"How do you know?" Asked Safiya warily, placed her palm on her forehead.

"Well, the next room is still relatively quiet at the moment." The half celestial tilted her head to the direction of the audience chamber: "The last time I checked, which was no less than 5 minutes ago, they were still floating there with those glowing protective shields around. So I wager they were still quite safe there."

"I see." The Red Wizard nodded.

"You should learn to trust Gannayev." Kaelyn grinned.

"Huh?"

"He would not cause Lee any harm," the Dove blinked slowly, somehow resembling a night owl: "he would not allow it."

"That obvious, is it?" The Red Wizard let out a small giggle.

"Only those two don't know." The half-celestial chuckled.

"Something about those thralls, ladies," Okku opened his mouth abruptly from the entrance of the small adjoining room, starting them both: "They seemed to wake up, falling onto the platform and managing to walk away from the chamber just now."

"What?" Said both Kaelyn and Safiya in unison. Both woman leaped up and rushed to the door. Sure enough, as they carefully peeked through the damp half opened doorframe, they noticed the thralls used to power the shields were gone. There were only dead bodies remaining on the stone floor, as well as the floating hags.

"The shields are fading, too." Safiya pointed out.

"Humph…." Okku growled: "Weapons and spells ready, everyone. I don't think it will be long before hell breaks lose."

The Red Wizard slanted a quick glance at the two sleeping companions, and gasped as they were shimmering in silvery light and quickly fading into nothingness.

"Lee!" She cried out: "Gannayev!"

At the same time, a deafening shriek broke in the depth of the Audience Chamber. The horror and dread echoed between the dim lights and shadows. No longer needing to guard over their friends' bodies, Safiya followed Okku and Kaelyn into the large hall in time to see the air in front of the strange device beginning to ripple. In the next split second, a slit was torn like a tapestry from the other side and a gap opened up in front of them. Blinding light beamed out from within.

"The dreamwalker's creating a tear from the dreamscape." Said Kaelyn anxiously as she pointed her staff at the floating Coven sisters, who appeared to show signs of distress on their once bland face: "I believe they will be coming directly from the realm of dreams."

Another screech ricocheted through the vast chamber, in agony and pain this time. The invisible string that suspended the hags in the mid air suddenly snapped. As they fell onto the cold stone platform, a hand struck out from the golden gap, widening by someone tearing it with all their might.

"Ganneyev!" Safiya cried out as she saw the tall figure stepping through the tear, his hair flying widely around his statuesque face. Almost at once, with one hand, Gannayev fired out gnarling vines toward the staggering Coven sisters, his eyes glittering in icy coldness and fury that none of his companions had witnessed before. His other hand still clasped Leela's, who in turn was summoning blizzard storm within the chamber as soon as she stepped through the torn gap.

Two of the hags were dissipated and blown away by the gale blowing around them before they even managed to get back to their feet—costs of leaping between two realms with lesser strength. It was clear that the air genasi and the blue hagspawn had started their attack before returning to the world of wakens. Things obviously had not gone well while they were in dreamscape. But there would be time for questions later. The Red Wizard rushed forward, joining her friends on the ascending steps of the podium, reciting the first of many spells that sprang into mind.

The screams and howls continued to resonate around the hall. Safiya called out another spell to aid their attack. Fluffy pinned one of the Coven sisters flat against the wall, its sharp pincers slashing across her throat like knives cutting through butter. One of the remaining hags waved her large club at Okku, which appeared to be not affected. She snarled in frustration, reached out one hand, stretched her long and twisted fingers, and called for Magic Missiles. The telthor bear god let out a roar of laughter in triumph, turned his giant body and pawed his feet at the small and hideous looking creature.

"Ungrateful pest!" The husky sneer boomed above their heads: "We answered the question you seek and this is how you repay us?"

Gannayev's quarterstaff stabbed into another hag's throat. He watched with some form of satisfaction on his face, his dark eyes were flared with anger. His voice was thick with anger: "We merely seek what you meant to repay us decades past."

"Nonsense! There was no such thing. We did according to the law—"

"A law made by your lot!" Shouted Leela, who drove a dagger through a hag's chest: "Who gave you right to decide one's fate, wicked creatures? What gave you privileges to carry out slaughters, as you would be one of the Gods? You are hags, nothing more. And like all other creatures in these realms, you shall pay for your sins!"

"We bare wisdom—!"

"Which you stole by invading others dreams." Growled Okku: "Capital notion, little one. I shall not question what had happened beyond the realm of morals, as I wholeheartedly agree to bring long overdue justice down on those self-absorbed beings."

One more of Coven sisters fell down to her knees. The door leading to the waiting hall suddenly burst open, in came the hagspawns guarding the entrance outside. Safiya could not help but wonder why it took them this long to realize something had happened to their mistresses.

"Brainless brutes!" She sneered as she watched Leela summon two air elementals to attack them: "By the Gods, they look so different than you, Gannyev."

"Of course, I am the handsome one." The dreamwalker turned his head around and grinned at her, baring his teeth: "Took you this long to figure it out, did you?"

"Oh, shut up and fight, you self obsessive hagspawn!" The corner of Red Wizard's mouth curled up. Her fingers crackled with light as she began another round of lightning bolts.

There were two more hags remained and with the burly guards coming to their rescue, they proved to be a little bit harder to handle. At the end, they let Okku and Fluffy sufficiently dealt with hagspawns while the rest tackled with the Coven sisters. The bony creatures continued to shriek and spew out threat even as they gone down.

"Rest well," Gannayev snarled as he slit the last of the hags' throat, glint of silver dancing in his eyes as he watched in satisfaction that the dark blue blood spilled all over his armor: "sweet eternal dreams! And pass my regards to my folks."

"You got what you were after with those horrible looking things?" Kaelyn reached up and wiped a mist off sweat from her forehead.

"Oh, yes, of course." Panted Leela: "Do come and sit down, let me tell you what happened while we are catching up our breath."

"Among all this blood?" Gannayev quirked his brow. Holding his melee weapon, he barely had strength to move. Casting something that tore a hole between the dreamscape and the real world drained almost all his energy.

"Marks of vengeance for your folks? Why, of course." The air genasi smiled.

"Very well." He blinked, and grinned back.

Leaning against the blood splattered stone steps, Safiya carefully handed out the rationed food and ale flask, while Leela related in great detail what had occurred to the pair the minute they entered the dreamscape. The Red Wizard's breath caught as she mentioned about the meeting between the Coven and the twins.

"Mother and Lienna? Here in the Coven?" Her eyes widened in surprise: "And asking about an ancient curse? How odd."

"Indeed. Apparently they were discussing about _me_," The air genasi carefully chewed the cold ham in her mouth: "trying to end my _suffering_, or so they claimed."

"Why, how inventive of them" Okku arched his brow: "By putting you at the bottom of my Barrow?"

"That part bewildered me, too, Okku." Sighed Leela: "It appeared by answering my questions, I have got thousands more to seek. By Gods, just the thought of it tires me."

The druid continued on, recalling those strange dreams that did not appear to fit in any of those thralls trapped by the Coven sisters. First, the strange and bizarre play at the Veil Theatre, which Safiya commented that it was rather curious about the other actors on the stage and what they said to her, as demiliches, dragons, and celestials rarely get along. Then the story moved onto the Betrayers gate. This time even Kaelyn the Dove became excited.

"The Gate?" Her face was curious: "What was it like, what did you see there?"

Leela told them who they encountered and what they did there. Safiya frowned at the mentioned of the women in red. It wasn't the first time she heard about such a person appeared in her friend's dream. And yet the druid was adamant she did not appear to be her mother or her younger self. It was even more surprising when the air genasi related the appearance of Araman, the conspirator of the coop that overthrown and killed her mother.

"_Him_!" She cried out, leaping on her feet: "What was he doing in there?"

"Arguing over something." The crease on Leela's frown deepened: "He spoke of me as if I was his brother. He spoke of something about the Betrayer should not be challenging Myrkul. Something about i_love_./i"

"Love?" The Red Wizard found herself snorting at such a concept: "He's the last person in this world knowing anything about love."

"The Betrayer?" Kaelyn frowned: "How odd."

"It's merely a dream." Okku grunted.

"And we all know what wisdom lies within our dreams sometimes, grandpa bear." Gannayev arched his silver brow.

They argued a bit, but came to no conclusion whatsoever what it meant. And then, finally, Leela talked about the Wall of Faithless.

And someone named Bishop.

Safiya immediately sensed the change on her dear friend. Leela's shoulders became rigid. She became paler, her hands on the flask suddenly tightened to a degree that her knuckles turned white. The Red Wizard caste a wary glance at Gannayev and bewilderingly noticed the blue hagspawn had grown quiet.

Bishop.

She suddenly remembered that during the early days when she first met the druid, she had heard her cry out such a name in her sleep. Several times, as the matter of fact. Often she had to shake her dear friend awake, to stop her screaming. The hurt on her face and the trembling tone in her voice were heartbreaking. She also remembered no matter how many times she questioned Leela about him, the air genasi refused to talk about her troubles. It had happened less since they met the dreamwalker. At one stage, she thought the dream no longer troubled her companion. Obviously it wasn't the case.

"I know this name." Said Safiya softly: "Your old companion, is he not?"

The air genasi's gazed briefly left and stared into hers. There was sadness twirling deep within: "...yes."

"He was in the Wall?" The Red Wizard moved toward the druid and placed her hand on her companion's upper arm.

Leela took a deep breath: "Yes."

Behind her, Safiya heard the dreamwalker move. When she turned her head around, she saw Gannayev walking toward them and sit down. His shoulders just touched hers. His expression was dark and unreadable.

"What did he say?." The Red Wizard turned and regarded her friend again.

"…Something about seeing me in the Wall." The air genasi buried her face in her hands: "He refused to let me help him, Sa. I tried to get him out."

"You can't pull people out from the Wall." Kaelyn spoke up: "It's the law."

"Another damn law." Gannayev let out a sarcastic bark of laughter.

"There is nothing you can do, Lee." Safiya pawed the druid's hand: "They won't allow it."

"He gave us another mask fragment." Said the druid at length.

Kaelyn took out healing potions from the rucksacks and gave them to everyone to speed up the recover. She frowned as her companion mentioned about the third mask fragment: "Another one?" Leela nodded: "Show us?"

The air genasi handed over the fragment, as well as the others. Safiya edged closer and watched the Dove try to put them together with great care, before tilting her head to make some sense out of it.

"Strange patterns…" The half-celetial trailed her fingers past the carvings on the fragments: "intriguing. What do you think," She looked up and gazed at the Red Wizard: "Safiya?"

Safiya frowned over the mask: "This markings looks old, for I do not recognise any of them at all…"

"I have no idea." Leela stared blankly ahead, clearly lost in her memory: "Something I've tried to figure out myself, too. Other than Bishop, I do not know any of those people in my dream, let alone most of the places in there. How it managed to appear in my dream is a mystery, and it seemed even those hags could not answer that."

"What about that passage the Coven mentioned," Gannayev tabbed his knee: "the one they said hidden in the Shadow Mulsantir?"

"What? Which one?" Kaelyn straightened her back.

"The one the keeper had no clue where it leads, that one." Replied the blue hagspawn.

Leela took a deep breath, cast a side-glance at the dreamwalker before throwing the remaining cheese into her mouth: "Want to go back to have a look?"

"Thought you'd never asked." Safiya found herself smiling.


	53. Chapter 53

**The Beast Within**

**Chapter Fifty- Three – Mirror Reflection**

They left Coveya Kurg'annis and were back to the front gate of Anya's farmhouse before any of them had realised it. Standing by the warm flames crackling enthusiastically in a brazier, the farmer Janik blinked at the party in surprise. He certainly did not expect to see any of them again this soon.

"Why, ye surely have some nerve—" Anger quickly flared in his eyes. But his words were cut short by Leela stepping forward and giving him a slight bow of her head.

"Allow me to assure you, Janik. Our purpose of returning here is not for doing your daughter any harm." She looked at the old father's wrinkled face earnestly: "We are here to beg you to grant us another chance to spend a few moments with her."

"What—"

"You may be present the same room with us, should you have any concerns." the air genasi assured.

Janik glared at them sceptically for a good long minute before scrubbing his beard reluctantly: "Neigh, ye can all get in. But don't ye do anything dodgy there, or I will hold ye all responsible! Me poor gel is suffering enough, let me tell ye."

The druid thanked the farmer and lead her party into the thatched roof farmhouse. His daughter Anya was in pretty much the same state as the last time the blue hagspawn and Leela saw her, gliding around the room, humming a tune to herself, touching furniture and small items in an absent manner, with half a mind somewhere else. Her hums paused at the sound of her guests' entry and stared at them in surprise.

"Ganneyev love! How nice…" She gasped and her cheek flushed in pink: "But you shouldn't be here! I've told you to wait until my time to sleep. You must not come to me now, father will see!"

"By the Gods, this is serious." Okku's brow shot up as he regarded the girl's dream-like expression: "Are you sure you didn't sneak into her dream and seduced her when we weren't looking?"

"Unfortunately, I've been preoccupied to fulfill the other appointment in that particular realm over the past few days, grandpa bear." Gannayev wagged his index finger: "So whoever this _Gannayev love_ was, it's definitely not me!"

"We can't get on solving the problem if she isn't asleep." The wrinkle between Leela's elegant silver brows deepened: "I fail to see how we are going to achieve that."

"Simple. Leave that to me, Lee." Safiya clicked her tongue and twitched her mouth to one side: "Just make sure you don't stay too long this time. My back still aches after sitting on that damp stone floor for hours."

"It shouldn't be too hard this time, Red Wizard." Okku drawled: "We got shelter, warm fire, rugs on the floor, and look," He tilted his head toward the table by the hearth as the Thayan wizard mentally searched for the correct spell to cast upon Anya: "Ales! I'll stay, they can take all the time they need!"

"Yeah, right. Right, I think this should do." The Red Wizard straightened her back and pointed out her finger at Anya. The farm girl stared at her; suddenly looking alarmed when she saw her lips move and several guttural sounds coming out. Too late. Magic erupted from her slim hands. Within seconds the farm girl's eyes began to drop.

"Wha… what are you doing… I… I…" She collapsed onto the floor and fell asleep immediately.

"I only wish we are not going anywhere with strange creatures charging at us on sight." Leela shrugged as she set down on the rug in front of the fire: "Somewhere nice and sunny and… Sword Coast like." Somehow, seeing Bishop again in the dreamscape made her really homesick. She wanted nothing more than breath in the familiar sent of West Harbour's swamp and feel the moisture wrapped around her fingers again at this moment. How long had she been away now? And whatever those hags in the Coven told her, she knew nothing of her old companions and comrades. Other than Bishop, who appeared to be definitely dead, the others still remained unknown.

Bishop was dead.

But she knew that already, did she not? She knew that when she held him in his arms, months and months ago, in that collapsing ruin, when the King of Shadow was defeated. There was really no point to feel the ache, though numb slightly, after all this time, was there?

Yet, she still felt something, something she could not really pinpoint. Much like something regarding the certain handsome hagspawn beside her.

She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands, feeling exhausted. Mayhap entering dreamscape to investigate Anya's strange infatuation would not be as bad as she thought.

"It's the dreamworld Anya created, I don't think she is the girl who would adore monsters." The dreamwalker tilted his head at her, jerking her out of reverie, with a small smile curled at the corner of his chiselled lips, sitting down next to her: "But still… ready?"

"Can I say no?" Leela smiled wryly: "It was my idea to save her in the first place, wasn't it? Ready when you are."

Gannayev slanted a side-glance at the druid. She had been most insistent to drop by Janik's farm on their way back to Mulsantir, for a reason he somewhat understood. No, he did not think she believed there was something going on, but proving there wasn't really anything going on and saving the innocent farm girl was possibly what the air genasi had in mind.

But why did she want to prove it? He could not help himself but wonder. Surely wanting to help the desperate father was only part of the reason?

"Right beside you, my sweetling." The blue hagspawn turned his attention back to the task in hand and grinned mischievously before closing his eyes.

* * *

_"You know, this reminds me of Ashenwood." The air genasi took an deep breath as soon as her eyes adjusted to the light behind the mist hanging between the woods: "Snow, quiet forest, and birds singing in the trees."_

_"Best of all, no weird and hideous looking monsters, am I right?" Gannayev pulled himself up to his elbow and smiled down at her._

_"And that, too." She smiled back._

_The dreamwalker chuckled. Before he opened his mouth and said anything else, faint sound of laughter trickling through the woods made him pause. He tilted his head to one side and tried to listen to the giggles. Leela blinked slowly. She heard it, too._

_"Aha," A small smile tugged at the left corner of his mouth: "Is that what I think it is?"_

_"Let's find out." She found her feet and followed the sound through the fog, with the blue hagspawn closely behind. The groundcovers hidden track stretched some distance before making a sharp turn and opening to a small clearing. As they approached a small bramble bush near the edge of the glade, the sound became clearer and it did not take them long to figure out they found what they were after._

_Anya was in the embrace of another man. Her face was in pure rapture. The man, with board shoulders, long pearl-blue long hair, and the tilting soft voice that was so familiar to the air genasi, buried his face in the her jet black hair and inhaled deeply. She gaped transfixed at the couple, who were completely oblivious about the others approaching._

_The man… this couldn't be right, the man was Gannayev._

_"Oh, this is good, so very good, I am very impressed," She heard the dreamwalker murmur next to her and she snapped her head around to regard him with an arched brow. If this one was the real Gannayev, then who in the world was that one who was hugging the farm girl?_

_"Now don't tell me…" She slowly shook her head._

_"All in appropriate time, my dear sweetling." The blue hagspawn half turned toward her and winked: "But let me assure you, I am the real one here, the one and only who found a certain air genasi beyond beautiful. Now I suggest we watch and see how will this rendezvous work."_

_"Right…_what did you just say_?"_

_"Sssh." His fingers were on her lips, soft and warm and with the scent of him. The dreamwalker tilted his head to the clearing, telling her wordlessly to focus on what was ahead of them._

_Leela slowly turned her gaze back to Anya. The farm girl was moving against the other Gannayev's chest, with her hands around his waist._

_"Sir Gannayev." She sighed contently._

_"Yes, my dearest Anya?" The other blue hagspawn stroked her hair tenderly and pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head._

_"Nothing. I simply love saying your name." Anya half raised her head and smiled at her lover._

_"And it pleases _my_ ears to hear it, my love." The other dreamwalker cupped the farm girl's face between his hands and kissed her._

_Gannayev beside Leela began to groan: "I think I am getting sick."_

_The druid chuckled softly, despite herself: "Why, but you are exactly like that, Gann."_

_"No, I am not." He glared at her._

_"Oh, yes, you do." Leela gave him a bright toothy grin._

_"There is a distinct difference between romantic and sickening mushy, my dear sweetling. Whoever that is out there had made such a poor performance, no respectable theatre will accept him should he decide to make it as a career." The blue hagspawn shook his head: "Right, time to put the end to this."_

_He got back to his feet and moved around the hedge they've been hiding behind for the last ten minutes. At the sound of someone's intrusion, Anya jerked her head up, immediately tensing and looking about her nervously._

_"What?" She gasped anxiously: "Who's there?"_

_The other Gannayev gallantly pushed her behind his back: "Stand back, my dear love. I will protect you."_

_The blue hagspawn beside Leela chuckled amusingly: "Protect _her_? By the spirits, she's the cause of all this! And _you_…"_

_"I must be seeing things," Anya blinked in bewilderment: "There are… two of you, Gannayev?"_

_Clearly she wasn't the only one who was puzzled at the sight in front of them "Do you know this half-blooded mongrel, my love?" Said the other blue hagspawn._

_"_Mongrel_?" Gannayev choked: "What does that make you? A half of a half?"_

_"Have a care with your words, villain. Or I shall make you dine upon them." The other dreamwalker's eyes glowered with anger and he hissed._

_"This is very entertaining." Leela rolled her eyes and looked around: "What's this place, by and by, Ashenwood?"_

_"Ashenwood? No," Anya shook her head: "This is our home, where we are able to be alone without father seeing... I found this glade one night, while—"_

_"While you walked the borders of sleeping and waking, yes, yes, I know how this came about." Gannayev folded his arms and nodded admiringly: "For a novice, you are very, very good. My mistake was that I didn't realize that you possessed such power, Anya - an oversight, but I cannot be perfect in _all_ things - what, did I say something funny?" He shot the air genasi a slight annoying glance._

_"No," Leela covered her face with her left hand, trying to suppress a giggle: "Carry on."_

_"Right…" The dreamwalker slowly looked away from the air genasi and back to Anya and her imaginary knight: "Now this fantasy of yours must end - that Gann there, he is a fantasy you have conjured up, and he is becoming a wedge between you and the waking world, Anya. And… he also has a terrible fashion sense, and the nose is all wrong."_

_The druid had to press both her hands over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. The blue hagspawn gave her another weird look._

_Anya arched her left brow and darted her eyes from one Ganneyev to another: "I do not know who you are, but you are not the Sir Gannayev I know."_

_"Gosh, I certainly hope not!" The dreamwalker looked at the other hagspawn in disgust: "You can't seem to get me right from the looks of it."_

_The other Gannayev evidently offended by his words: "Anya, I believe this thing is here to hurt us - stand away from him, I shall handle this." He growled._

_"If it's a fight you want," The blue hagspawn's eyes narrowed, with sparks crackled between his fingers: "Then that's how this must be settled."_

_"Boys!" The druid felt it was time to intervene: "We are all adults here, there is no need to behave like silly children in the schoolroom, yes? Now, Anya," She turned toward the farm girl: "Consider how fortunate you are now, there are two Gannayevs who compete for your love. Which one of them loves you more, do you think?"_

_"What?" Said both Gannayev in unison, both their heads snaping in her direction._

_Anya's confused expression was cleared at once: "You mean… this is a contest?"_

_"What are you doing?" The blue hagspawn hissed at Leela._

_"Just play along." The air genasi whispered back: "So what do you say, Anya? Which one?" She turned to the farm girl again._

_Gannayev's silvery brow shot up: "Prove, you said? There will be price to pay for this, my sweetling."_

_The other Gannayev already stepped forward. He picked up Anya's hand and kissed each and one of her fingers._

_"My dear, sweet, Anya." Said the other blue hagspawn: "You know how much I love you. I am only whole when you are around."_

_Anya closed her eyes and sighed contently, while the dreamwalker wrinkled his noise and had an expression of someone who just tasted something sour._

_"Ewe," He shook his head: "Revolting—and so unimaginative."_

_"Now it's your turn, Gann," Leela's lips quirked up, the sudden sparkle in her velvet sapphire eyes in a face which expression remained sombre: "I guarantee you have more eloquent words for love than he does."_

_"Humph…" Gannayev's deep blue eyes reflected the gleam as those in the air genaisi's: "Very well, stand back. My words might ignite a passion so fierce this dream will catch on fire."_

_He moved past the other dreamwalker, and pushed him aside: "Arh, Anya…The glade around you is poor home for a beauty"_

_The other Gannayev appeared flustered: "I need to share her with no one!"_

_"Indeed?" The blue hagspawn quirked his brow: "I would not fetter Anya's movements, I would allow all to gaze upon her - for even if they should, only I can appreciate her inner beauty."_

_Leela slanted a side-glance at the farm girl, who was now covering her mouth with both her hands and her eyes were glittering with unshed tears, moving beyond words to make a sound._

_"A master indeed." She murmured in astonishment under her tone as she watched the contest continue._

_"What?" The other dreamwalker fisted his hands at his sides: "He tells lies! I love you! I am only whole when you are around."_

_"Tsk-tsk," The real dreamwalker chuckled: "Anya, I am whole at _all_ times - for you are with me always, no matter what distance separates us."_

_The conjured Gannayev's face went pale, while Anya suddenly blinked and looked at her surroundings, as if she had just noticed them for the first time._

_"Oh, my…" She shook her head, disbelievingly: "I've been such a fool for a Gann I've created out of nothingness!" She stepped forward, reached out her hand and touched lovingly at the dreamscape blue hagspawn for the last time before speaking softly almost to herself: "I think it is time for me to wake up now."_

_The other Gannayev looked at her longingly and suddenly gave her an sad smile, before everything around them turned blank._

_"Time to go, my sweetling." The dreamwalker's hand threaded through Leela's._

_The druid gave him a slight nod and waited for the blinding light to consume them all…_

* * *

They woke up and found the farm girl hugging her father Janik, who was overwhelmed with joy that his daughter was finally returned to normal. Having realised he had neglected her for so long, he vowed to stay at home more often than he was.

To thank them, the farmer also invited them to stay for one night, trusting that there would be nobody to visit Anya in her dreams. Over the supper he had prepared for them, Leela saw Gannayev bend his head over the farm girl, evidently exchanging something. The young woman nodded her head eagerly, while occasionally shutting the air genasi envious glance.

"What did you say to her?" She could not help herself but ask, as they all sat around the hearth and enjoyed one of Janik's finest brews.

"She's a dreamwalker in the making," The blue hagspawn sipped his ale: "I offered her some advice on learning to block out fabric of thoughts when travelling in the realm of dreams. One does not come across another dreamwalker easily in their lifetime, my sweetie. How fortunate I am to met two."

"You've met other dreamwalkers in Rasheman?" Leela blinked.

"Oh yes, he's in Mulsantir. I think I mentioned him once before." The dreamwalker nodded: "I can make the introduction when we are back."

"You will?" The air genasi grinned: "I would like that."

"Course you do," Gannayev grinned back. He tilted his head to aside, reached out his hands and brushed her cheek with his knuckles.


End file.
